Facets of a Gem
by peppymint
Summary: My MK and DC drabbles. Some good, some not so good. If you feel inspired feel free to add on to an idea in your own story. I do not own anything.
1. Wish

I still own no one and nothing

_WISH_

The students of Ekoda High School were once again having an animated debate.It had started with a simple question. If you could wish for one thing, what would it be? The usual answers had come up; money, fame, true love, but still the discussion raged.

Aoko stood up. "I would wish my father would catch that stupid thief!" the wild-haired girl passionately exclaimed.

Hakuba nodded in agreement. "I believe catching the Kaitou Kid is my dream as well." Turning to examine the look on Kuroba's face the detective paused, then frowned.

The magician looked oddly pensive. He wasn't the only one either. Akako sat regarding the surface of her desk. Both magic-users had been unusually quiet.

Keiko also regarded Kaito. "What about you Kaito-kun? What would you wish for?" The entire class waited, curious about his response.

Kuroba raised his sapphire eyes. "It doesn't matter who you are or what you are capable of," he said softly. "Some things are simply not possible." Kaito's voice and demeanor were serious, "as for the things that are they are rarely handed to you. His eyes scanned his classmates as he paused. "If you want your goals to become reality, you have to work for them."

Just like that the moment was over and the class clown sprang out of his seat and bounced toward Akako. "I'm going for some ice cream. Wanna come?" he grinned, holding out his hand. Nodding, the sorceress put her hand in his, allowing herself to be pulled to her feet. Without another word the pair left the room, aware of the questioning golden eyes that followed them.

Now if I could just get over my writer's block for _DBC or Not_

See you ASAP


	2. Mistake

I still don't own MK or DC, I guess I'll live with the disappointment.

Crossover with Highlander, don't own that either

**Mistake**

Conan turned into the ally and immediately stopped. Sighing, he pulled out his cell phone. He was beginning to think Hattori was right, maybe he really was a body magnet.

Reaching down, the detective checked the blonde's pulse. He was gone. The corpse was still warm, and a stab wound was clearly the cause of death.

The seemingly young boy turned away and had begun to dial when he was cut off by a gasp. Conan spun to see the man picking himself off the ground. "But," he blurted, "you were dead."

The man's guarded eyes shot up, then relaxed as he saw a child. "It's all right little one," he soothed him, an Irish burr laced through his words. "It is just a scratch."

"You didn't have a pulse," Conan insisted.

The man crouched down, "you made a mistake that's all. My name is Conner, what is yours?" he asked.

"Shinichi," the detective was to stunned to lie.

"You should go home, someone is probably worried about you." With that, the man turned and walked away.

Conan groaned as he rolled his eyes heavenward. "Why me?" he questioned.

Good news, I have overcome my writers block

DBC or Not is finished on paper, I just need to type it

It will be up ASAP


	3. Why

I'm very poor, please don't sue me.

I own nothing.

**Why**

Inspector Ginzo Nakamori saw his life flash before his eyes as he stared down the barrel of a gun. His late wife, his friends, his co-workers, Kid, Kaito, but most of all his daughter; everything was happening so fast. So fast, that Nakamori registered the sound of the gunshot before he realized someone had shoved him out of the way.

The inspector scrambled to his feet and turned, just in time to see his black-clad assailant drop to the ground. A tranquilizer dart stuck out of the gunman's neck. Nakamori's attention was immediately caught by a slender figure in white.

The Kaitou Kid stood over the unconscious man, clutching one shoulder. His usually pristine suit was stained crimson, as a pool of blood spread over the fabric. A few drops fell onto the asphalt below. He had taken the shot for his adversary.

"Why," Nakamori breathed. "Why did you do that? You could have been killed."

The phantom thief stared at him for a long moment before answering. "Because I won't lose someone else I care about," was the soft reply. "Not at their hands."

As Kid vanished into the night, the inspector was left with more questions, not less.

If you all will excuse me, there is work tomorrow

Have to go collect my fire-breathing kitty and go to bed


	4. Oops

I do not own Detective Conan or Magic Kaitou

If I did I wouldn't have to worry about student loans

**Oops**

A group of people gathered in the hospital's waiting room, casting worried glances at the door. Even the famous sleeping detective was anxious. "I don't understand," Mouri snarled, "how one little brat could get into so much trouble."

Yes, Shinichi Kudo, or as most knew him, Conan, had once again been shot.

Inwardly Hattori grimaced. He knew exactly how. All of the "detective boys" were there as well as several police officers. Others had slipped in and out of the room, including acquaintances from the cases _Mouri_ had solved. The detective's attention was drawn as another young man slid silently into the room.

The man didn't look all that noticeable. He was slender with light gray eyes and black hair. He seemed to have a face more prone to smiles than frowns.

As the hours passed the group talked quietly among themselves. Heiji found himself conversing with the gray-eyed man. His name, it seemed, was Yukio Tanaka.

Yukio had a quick mind and a wry sense of humor. He was just there to make sure Conan would be all right. Suddenly, he frowned slightly.

Hattori caught the expression. "You all right Tanaka?" he asked.

"I'm fine," the other stated. Yukio looked up at the teen detective. "You ever get that nagging feeling?" he questioned. "You know, like you're forgetting something important."

Heiji nodded. "It happens to everyone once in a while," he drawled.

With a slight shrug Yukio dismissed his thoughts and the two continued their conversation.

A short time later the door swung open to reveal Conan, accompanied by a doctor. The seemingly young detective's arm was in a sling, but his injuries weren't serious.

He was immediately swarmed by people asking about his well-being. Many of them, after realizing the child would be fine, left. Yukio hung on the edges of the crowd.

The crowd calmed as Conan assured them of his well being. The police quickly took his statement of the events leading up to his injury. Once everyone's questions had been answered the meitantei scowled slightly.

The detective of the west regarded his friend. "Hey K-Conan; what's wrong?"

Conan sighed faintly. "The Kid heist," he stated. He gestured to the sling, "It's tonight and I can't do anything like this."

As the Osaken went to comfort him he was cut off by a yell.

"Shit!" Yukio exclaimed. "I can't believe I forgot."

Remembering their earlier conversation Hattori regarded him quizzically; "forgot what?"

"My heist," he hissed. Without another word Kid the phantom thief disappeared in a puff of smoke.

As the law enforcement officers stared at the now empty space Heiji couldn't help but laugh. "Well," he stated, "at least we know he was worried about you."

-/-

I think my next story will be in the RK fandom

We'll just have to wait and see

TTFN


	5. Safe

Unfortunately I have not purchased

MK or DC since my last post.

They are the property of someone else.

**Safe**

Conan cursed silently to himself as he ran through the labyrinth of dark alleys. How could he have been so foolish. This was exactly the sort of thing that had gotten him stuck in this body to begin with.

He had run across a pair of Black Org. Operatives, Beer and Sake respectively. Under other circumstances he would have found it amusing that they worked together. From what he had seen, they were like night and day. He could have run away, but no, he just had to know what they were up to. They had seen Conan clearly. He had been running ever since, that was hours ago and the two were still on his tail.

The detective had no illusions about what would happen if they caught him. Children vanished all the time after all, and many were never found.

Without warning a pair of strong arms wrapped around his small frame, yanking him skywards. Conan panicked, he struggled wildly, trying desperately to free himself. His yell was smothered by a white-gloved hand.

"Be quiet Kudo," a familiar voice ghosted over his ears. "Do you want them to hear you?"

The detective stilled, collapsing into the man's embrace. It was funny really, that he would trust this man. They were far from friends, they were on different sides after all. Still, he knew the Phantom Thief did not allow others to be hurt if he could prevent it.

Tomorrow would be another day, even more dangerous than the last. But for now, in this time and this place, he was safe.

FoaG-FoaG-FoaG-FoaG

Well, I'm back at college.

My only regret is that my fire-breathing kitty had to stay at home.


	6. Logic

_I do not own DC or MK_

**Logic**

Saguru Hakuba was nothing if not a logical person. He had believed that everything could be explained. That people and events could be filed away like pieces of information. That the only thing that mattered were the facts, which meant he would never fail.

Of course, that had before he came to Japan. Before he met the thief that broke all the rules, and the magician who didn't even acknowledge they existed. He knew they were the same person, even if he couldn't prove it.

He could remember the day he had first met Kid the phantom thief clearly. Saguru had been overconfident, he knew this now. He also remembered the questions he had poised to the thief, certain the famous magician was trapped.

Hakuba had never forgotten the Kid's response_"It is your business to find out the answer."_

At first he had tried to write Kuroba off as an aberration. To believe that logic still held all the answers. It didn't work. Chaos followed the thief like a loyal pet, leaving change in its wake. He met others. Conan, a child whose piercing gaze swept over a crime scene without missing a single clue. Akako, a witch whose powers didn't come from slight of hand. Even the actions of the task force sometimes baffled him.

Slowly but surely, Hakuba had come to see the world through different eyes. Even if the blond would never admit it out loud, he knew he had become a better person. Not to mention a better detective.

Saguru also knew who he had to thank for it. That stupid thief had lead him every step of the way, maneuvering him as if he was one of the magician's juggling balls. That he had done this only left the detective more puzzled than before.

**Hakuba walked over to his rival yanking the newspaper out of his hands.**

**Kuroba gave him a slightly irritable look, "Something on your mind?"**

**Pausing, the half Brit asked a question that had not left his lips in some time. "Why," the detective asked. "Why did you do that?"**

**The magician just smiled, "isn't it your job to find out the answer?"**

-FoaGFoaGFoaG-

_It is so depressing. Someone else wrote a story_

_with a similar plot point to my RK story so it is on the_

_back burner for a while._

_Please R&R, I'm beginning to think I have no talent whatsoever. _


	7. Accident

_I own very few things of any value._

_This anime series is not one of them_

**Accident**

Inspector Nakamori was on his way back to the station after a heist. It hadn't been anything special; insert thief, exit gem. Suffice it to say, he was in a bad mood.

Suddenly the night was split by a blood curling scream. The inspector slammed on the brakes, turning to his three companions. "Did that sound like Kid to you?" he demanded.

Wordlessly Hakuba and the two officers nodded. Their quarry was famous for his ability to mimic voices, but they had all been around long enough to be familiar with the thief's so-called default voice.

Nakamori pulled the car into a sharp left turn, heading for the nearby harbor. The whole thing was man-made. It had been designed to dock pleasure boats, and the water that lapped against the paved shore was a little over twenty feet deep.

A few minutes later the four tumbled out of the vehicle at the waters edge. They stared at the sight in front of them.

Kid the Phantom Thief, the international criminal 1412, was on a yacht, anchored next to a thin dock, thirty feet off shore. That wasn't to odd, the fact he was clinging to the top of the mast was.

With a puzzled look, Hakuba approached, leaning out over the water. "Hey Kid," he called. "I didn't know you were scared of fish," his tone was slightly teasing.

The thief's head snapped around and his eye's widened dramatically as he saw the detective.

An invisible force immediately slammed against Hakuba's chest shoving him backwards, just as a humongous shark shot out of the water. It's massive jaws closed over the place Saguru had been just a split second before.

The two officers wasted no time in grabbing the teen by the arms and dragging him away from the water.

As the inspector stared at the fin that protruded a good foot and a half above the water, the blond struggled to regain his voice.

"A Great White shouldn't be in this area," Hakuba's shaky voice protested from his place on the ground. "The waters to cold."

From atop his perch Kid snorted, _"tell that to the shark. Just look at my cape," _he pouted, _"it's ruined."_ Inside the thief was shaking, but he wasn't about to tell them that.

The head of the Kaitou Kid Task Force couldn't stop himself from flinching when he saw the shredded material. He didn't want to think about how close the thief had come to death that night. Nakamori frowned as he looked down at the water, then up at his prey, then back down. "We'll get him next time," he proclaimed.

The two officers tried to hide their relief. Chasing Kid was one thing, that shark was something else entirely. As the group turned back to the car they were interrupted by a voice.

"_Eer, Inspector."_

Ginzo paused, surely Kid didn't want them to come get him. He turned, "what is it?"

"_We have a slight problem," _Kid almost looked embarrassed. _"You see, I may have dropped the gem in the water."_

Nakamori froze, "you what!"

"_It was an accident," _the thief protested.

As one, five pairs of eyes went to the water, and the shark that swam within. There was a moment of silence.

Finally one of the officers made a suggestion, "maybe we should call animal control."

FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG

_I have no idea where this one came from_

_It just popped into my head when I was walking to class_

_If you like Naruto, please check out my new story "From the Ashes"_

'_Til next time_


	8. Birthday

* * *

_I do not own Magic Kaitou or Case Closed_

**Birthday**

Shinichi stared down at his to small hands as he sat on the roof of the detective agency. The useless eyeglasses lay by his side and he involuntarily shivered as the wind whipped through his hair. It was cold. It didn't really bother him though; it suited his mood.

It was the detective's birthday. He had just turned nineteen, not that he looked it. Shadowed eyes gazed up at the moon. Privately, Kudo admitted he was feeling quite sorry for himself.

The boy started as a blanket was wrapped deftly around his shoulders. He hadn't heard anyone approach. Quickly, the detective spun to see a young man he didn't recognize.

It only took a split second for Kudo to deduce the identity of his unexpected visitor. He whipped up his wrist, only to pause.

_"Looking for something?" _the Kaitou Kid inquired. A familiar watch dangled from the magician's fingers.

Shinichi just glared at the thief, while mentally cursing the fact he wasn't wearing his sneakers. "Go away," he hissed. "I'm not in the mood."

Unsurprisingly, Kid completely disregarded his rival's wishes as he took a seat near the detective. He knew, that physically, Conan was not a threat to him. _"Just because you want to be alone," _the thief said softly_, "doesn't mean you should be."_

Kudo stared. Was the magician actually worried about him? Somehow, the revelation had a cooling effect on his anger.

As Kid snapped his fingers, a chessboard appeared between them. _"Do you play?" _he asked. The question was rhetorical; he knew the detective did.

Shinichi felt somewhat bemused as he regarded the unusual board. "White and gray? What happened to black?"

The thief shrugged, _"only the bad guys are black."_

Kudo was only partially successful in muffling his laugh as he made his opening move.

Hours passed as the two played while engaging in comfortable conversation. They avoided serious topics. They knew that when the sun rose they would both take up their roles, the thief and the detective. But for that night, they could pretend to be normal.

"Checkmate," the tantei stated as he tipped over the gray king. The score was now tied at two to two.

Kid groaned good naturally as he rose to his feet with unconscious grace. _"As much as I'd like to stay to break the stalemate, I'm afraid it is time for all good little kaitou to be in bed." _His silky voice echoed over the rooftop as he moved towards the edge of the building.

The thief paused a moment before looking back. _"Just remember Shinichi,"_ he whispered. _"There's always hope, so long as your alive." _With that, the Kaitou Kid dropped into the open air.

The detective watched the white figure as he flew away. His mood wasn't nearly as bleak as it had been earlier. Sometimes it was easy to forget that the magician thief wasn't all fun and games.

Kudo frowned as he noticed the chess set was still on the roof. A note had been secured underneath one of the pieces. Gently, he tugged it free, and opened it to examine the thief's familiar scrawl.

_ Keep the board; it's a present._

_ Happy Birthday Meitantei_

The detective couldn't stop himself from smiling as he glanced up at Kid's rapidly disappearing form. "Stupid thief," he murmured.

-FoaGFoaGFoaG-

_Sorry it is a bit late_

_Finals distracted me_

_Aah, the life of a student, hopefully I will do better now that it is vacation_


	9. Respect

_I still do not own Magic Kaito_

_bummer_

**Respect**

Inspector Nakamori ground his teeth as he listened to Europe's latest up and coming star. Since his arrival two weeks ago Lieutenant McKay had done nothing but berate the task force. He hadn't made any friends, that's for sure.

According to the Irish officer, the fact the task force could not catch one simple thief was pathetic. It was no secret he thought the group incompetent. Nor that he felt Nakamori himself should be fired. McKay clearly believed Kid's reputation was far from deserved.

The inspector's ire was further raised by the fact the lieutenant was holding the night's target. He had said it was necessary; what with the task force's previous successes. Even Ginzo's most easy going men were beginning to lose their tempers. Privately, the inspector admitted he was hoping the phantom thief would put the foreigner in his place.

Hakuba, now a young man of twenty, approached Nakamori. His trademark pocket watch was held loosely in one hand. "One minute," he warned his companions.

The inspector nodded as he signaled his men, giving them their final instructions.

McKay snorted. "I can't believe you just take the thief's word like that."

A nearby officer glared at the lieutenant. "The Kid," he informed him, "is always on time."

The Irishman just gave him a look of patented disbelief before swaggering off. The task force ignored his attitude, he would learn soon enough.

"Ten seconds," came Hakuba's announcement. The police officers tensed.

"Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one"

As the countdown reached zero, the floor beneath McKay's feet gave way with a series of small explosions.

Quickly an officer made his way towards the hole, ignoring his personal feelings. He knew that Kid never hurt anyone, but accidents do happen. Before he could examine the scene, the officer was forced back by a cloud of pink sleeping gas which rose from below.

After it cleared, Saguru inched forward. His golden eyes peered into the darkness as he searched. After a moment he lifted his head, "McKay is gone."

Nakamori struggled to hide his smirk. "What a pity," he stated. "Someone call the Commissioner."

The lieutenant moaned softly as he regained consciousness. His first thought was that he had been restrained in a large wooden box. The second was that the Kaitou Kid was above him holding the night's prize. The Irishman's cries of outrage were muffled by a gag.

The phantom thief looked down into the crate. _"Well hello," _he purred. _"Did you have a nice nap?"_

McKay felt a chill of fear; he was at the criminal's mercy.

Kid laughed, _"now don't be like that. I've never hurt anyone." _He crouched down by his prey. _"I do have a reputation to maintain after all. Still," _he looked straight into the policeman's eyes. _"I found your comments about** my **task force to be both unwarranted and tasteless." _The thief's voice was displeased. _"Think about that on your way home."_

With that McKay was once again plunged into darkness as the gas rose around him. His last sight was that of the crate's lid sliding shut.

A few days later the gemstone was returned, but it wasn't alone. The jewel was accompanied by a videotape of McKay's humiliating arrival in Ireland.

When one of the members of the task force raised a toast, in honor of their adversary, no one objected.

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Back to school, sigh_

_The next chapter of FtA is almost done and should be up ASAP_


	10. Cinderella

_I actually wrote this one between classes_

_It just came to me_

_I do not own MK or DC_

**Cinderella**

Conan glared at a nearby street light. Tonight was Ran's senior prom and instead of escorting her he was currently stuck in the body of a child. He probably would have taken one of the temporary antidotes, despite the risk, but Ai had hid them all.

An unwelcome voice interrupted his thoughts, "_something on your mind detective?"_

Kudo redirected his glare towards the phantom thief. If looks could kill, the figure would have dropped dead on the spot.

Kid sighed as he glided forward. _"There is no need to look at me like that,"_ he chided. "_I just stopped by to give you a gift."_

The glare increased two-fold. "I don't want anything from you."

The thief just gave him a knowing smile.

The detective tensed as his form was enveloped by swaths of translucent white silk. His entire body tingled. Quickly, he struggled out from beneath the fabric before turning on Kid. He paused, something was different.

Shinichi looked down to see his body, his real body. There had been no pill, no pain, he was just himself again. He didn't understand. He caught the thief's eyes with his. "How?" he chocked.

Kid shrugged, "_not all my tricks are smoke and mirrors."_

The detective gathered his scatted wits. "There is no such thing as magic," he protested.

The kaitou smirked. _"Now now detective," _he scolded the other teen. _"You should know, once you've eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth."_

Kudo just stood in silence as Kid turned to walk away. "_You have until midnight," _he warned. _"After that the spell will be broken and you'll be Conan again."_

By the time the detective snapped out of it, the thief was gone. Shinichi had to admit he was confused, both by how Kid had done this, and why.

As his brain finished reloading, the teen blinked. Why was he thinking about this now? He had a dance to get to.

FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG

_Still super busy, but I will try to write more_

_For stress relief if nothing else_

_I miss my cat_


	11. Risk

_I posted two drabbles today_

_If you didn't read the other go back one chapter_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, don't sue_

**Risk**

Kaito stood on the branch of an ancient tree, perfectly balanced. Shadows wrapped around his form like loyal pets, making him invisible to even the keenest of eyes. His purplish orbs watched the young woman as she passed below him, oblivious to his presence.

She was the most amazing person in the world, at least in his eyes. She was beautiful, and intelligent. She preferred to be kind, but she burned with an inner fire. Anyone who got on her bad side easily acknowledged that. She made his blood sing. He loved her.

Yes, the Kaitou Kid was in love. He still wasn't quite sure how it happened. The slender figure took half a step forward, intending to reveal his presence. He could ask her to dinner, maybe give her the necklace he had bought months ago.

He didn't make it. Kaito froze, visions danced through his mind. A gem, shining red under the moonlight, Snake leering at him, gunfire echoed in his ears and a phantom pain raced across his arm. The thief glanced down at a thin white line where the assassin had once grazed him.

No. He pulled the shadows more tightly around him. It was too dangerous. Kaito was well aware how his father had died. He knew the same thing could happen to him. He had no intention of leaving someone behind, if worst came to worst. No child of his would grow up without a father.

The thief sighed sadly. _"Someday,"_ he swore softly. _"When the Pandora gem is gone, and **they** are brought to justice_, _then I will pursue my own dreams."_

So once again, the lady walked away; and once again, he let her.

FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG

_The woman can be whomever you want from the series_

_Or someone new, personally I'm not a big Kaito/Aoko fan_

_Wow that's darker than I usually write_, _I must be slightly depressed about my own love life_

_Usually I don't care but Valentines Day is just around the corner_

_I'll have to write something funny soon _


	12. Lost

_I do not own Magic Kaitou _

_I am a poor college student _

_Now, on with the show_

**Lost**

Kaito glowered as he peered around his lab with narrowed violet eyes. It was even messier than usual. Books had been shuffled, drawers had been opened, it looked more like a teenager's room than the lair of a world famous thief. Then again, it was both.

"Where is it?" he hissed. The teen pulled open the door of his father's car and searched the interior before slamming it shut. "Whereisit whereisit whereisit!" The Kaitou Kid gave the room on last disgusted look before moving to gather some supplies. There was no help for it; he would just have to tell him.

Else ware, Inspector Nakamori sat glaring at the bane of his existence. No, not the phantom thief. A large stack of paperwork sat in the middle of his desk. He almost welcomed it when the phone rang.

"What!" Ginzo barked. He wasn't that upset, but it wouldn't due to ruin his reputation.

"Good evening keibu," a voice purred.

The inspector growled, his bad mood was no longer contrived. "What do you want," he snarled. The officer knew better than to think the call could be traced.

"Oh, I just wanted to tell you it will be a few days before I return the gem and not to worry."

Nakamori frowned, for some reason the thief was reminding him of a child who got caught with their hand in the cookie jar. "And may I ask why?"

"It's not important," came the glib reply.

The frown deepened. "Kid," he warned.

The thief's response was an inaudible murmur.

"What was that?"

"I said I'm not sure where it is." Faint embarrassment leaked through Kid's tone.

The police inspector took a moment to process that. "How do you lose a twenty-caret diamond!" he shouted.

"I did not lose it," Kid's voice was testy. "It is temporarily misplaced."

Nakamori took a deep breath as he tried to regain his composure. "Start at the beginning," he soothed. "You left the heist. Where did you go?"

There was a moment of silence. "You don't honestly expect me to answer that."

"Generalize," Ginzo ordered.

The kaitou sighed, "very well." He took a few seconds to organize his thoughts. "After the heist I meet an associate at a predetermined location. We went through our usual routine and he treated my injuries."

The inspector felt a stab of concern. "What injuries?"

"Nothing serious," he assured his opponent. "Just a few bumps and bruises." The teen decided not to mention he had gotten them when he threw himself over a wall. Snake had taken a shot at him.

Nakamori got back on topic. "Did you leave the gem there?"

"No, I had it when I got home," the voice became contemplative. "I remember seeing it when I got out of my work clothes."

"Then," the older man prompted.

"I," the thief's voice broke as he tried to recall his actions. "I took it with me when I left the lab. I know it wasn't in my pockets. I already checked."

"What did you do next? Did you eat dinner, do some cleaning?" Nakamori threw out ideas in the hopes of jarring Kid's memory.

"My birds," the thief suddenly blurted. "I went to feed my doves and I left the diamond on the shelf by their feed."

The inspector was left listening to nothing but a dial-tone. Ginzo chuckled, for once he wouldn't mind writing up his report. T he phantom thief would never live this down.

FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG

_Please read and review _

_The next chapter of From the Ashes will be up as soon as I can type it_


	13. Woah

_Have not purchases MK or DC since my last post_

_bummer_

_Here is my ficswap for the manycasesonetruth community_

_Hope it is Okay, I've never done this before_

**Woah**

A slender white-clad figure easily slipped between two officers, who promptly collided with each other. Kid inwardly winced as he viewed the tangled pile of limbs. They would have bruises in the morning.

Deftly he grabbed a large sapphire off the pedestal before launching back into the fray. It was so nice when the owners were overconfident. All the security was placed around the building. Once he was in, it was simply a matter of reaching the stone. It gave the thief more time to play with his officers.

A flicker in the corner of his eye caused Kid to duck and roll, the soccer ball narrowly missing his head. The shrunken detective had made his presence known. Idly the thief wondered if Kudo was trying to put him in the hospital. The dent that appeared where the ball had struck tended to support the theory.

When the kaitou rose a small remote was held in one hand. A familiar smirk adorned his shadowed features.

The officers instinctively slowed. That expression usually preceded one of Kid's seemingly limitless supply of tricks. They could only watch as the thief hit the button.

There was an indescribable sound and the lights went out. Not just in the room, or even the building. From his vantage point near the windows Nakamori watched as the entire city plunged into darkness. Well almost, the various emergency centers seemed to be having no troubles.

The inspector reached for his flashlight and flicked it on, nothing happened. He frowned. It had been working earlier. Muttered curses informed him the rest of the task force had encountered the same problem. It was times like this he considered the idea that the magician actually had magic.

The officers weren't the only ones who were caught a little off guard. _"Woah,"_ Kid's voice sounded slightly awed as it echoed around the room. _"Did I do that?"_

Nakamori shot the thief a scathing look. At least, he would have if he had been able to locate the phantom thief. He settled for glaring at everything. "Do you know anyone else who could have?" he growled. If not for the faint moonbeams that shown through the windows, it would have been pitch black.

"_No one is perfect," _the thief defended himself. _"I can fix it, just give me a few minutes."_

The taskforce agreed; only because they had no choice. After all, you can't catch what you can't find.

Sure enough, less than three minutes later the lights came back on. Nakamori wasn't surprised to see the darkness was not the only thing that had vanished, so had the phantom thief.

FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG

'_Til Next Time_

_Please review, your input is always welcome_


	14. Hindsight

_Disclaimer: Magic Kaitou does not belong to me_

_Bit off my usual path, this one is from the pov of a villain_

_Hope you enjoy it_

**Hindsight**

The jail cell held but a single figure. The man seemed relaxed, until you looked into his eyes. The dark orbs held a cold gleam that encouraged most people to back away slowly. In this case, first impressions were dead on. Snake was a professional assassin, one of the best.

The killer was not dwelling on his upcoming trial, or his previous victims, nor was he planning his escape. Instead Snake was considering the thief that had landed him in this situation, and the realization he had had as the police were hauling him away. How had he ever believed the boy was Toichi?

Snake remembered the first time he had ever seen Kaito Kuroba. It was the day of Toichi's funeral. He had bumped into the kid by chance. Usually the hitman didn't bother with his target's family unless he was ordered. Especially when they were as young as the boy had been. But even then, Snake had seen Kaito's potential.

It was in the way the brunette walked. The child preformed his magic tricks with unconscious grace and a playful sparkle did nothing to hide the intelligence that lurked in his eyes. Kaito was so obviously his father's son, and Snake could see that.

He had spent the next few days observing the boy, debating on what to do. Then one night Kaito had snuck out, silently slipping out his window and climbing down a gutter pipe. It was the perfect opportunity; no one would ever suspect the child's disappearance was more than a random tragedy.

Snake had discretely followed the small boy to a nearby park. He was about to make his move when Kaito collapsed at the base of a large tree and curled up on himself. The soft sound of the figure's sobs reached the killer's ears.

The operative paused at that moment, releasing the knife he had concealed in his overcoat. The scene caused him to forgot everything he had seen in Kaito Kuroba. The brunette was just a kid, no threat to the organization. There was no reason to kill him. Snake had just left the boy there; Kaito was no longer his problem.

Back in the cell Snake laughed ruefully to himself. He should have trusted his instincts. He had forgotten that chicks grow up to have claws of their own. That had been the assassin's mistake, and later his undoing.

"I should have killed him then," he whispered.

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_I've always wondered what Snake would think if he realized who Kid is_

_That is what inspired the fic_

_Please review, or I'll stick the fire-breathing kitty on you._


	15. Wind

_Disclaimer: I do not own Magic Kaito_

_Akako's pov on our favorite magician/thief_

**Wind**

Akako watched the young man as he laughed. It was his best friends nineteenth birthday, and Kaito had flipped her skirt.

The magician was currently occupied with avoiding Aoko's wrath. The slender figure moved like quicksilver. The mop swept past his body again and again, each time coming almost close enough to kiss tanned skin.

She wasn't worried. The sorceress knew he was in no danger. Every move Kaito made was carefully calculated and controlled.

Blue/violet eyes danced with mirth as the magician teased his childhood friend. A slightly maniac grin adorned his features. Kaito made the world seem like a brighter place, just by being there.

Akako silently laughed at her own foolishness. She had been so certain that she could chain the young man to her will. Like Hakuba, before the witch had met Kaito she had been unable to fathom failure. Nothing she had ever desired had been beyond her reach, until him.

Kaito Kuroba was the wind. He could neither be caged or controlled. Then again she mused, if it was possible the magician wouldn't be the same man she had come to value so much.

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_I like this one, and I hope you do to_

_It can be fun to explore the character's inner thoughts_

_Please R&R_


	16. Warning

_This was actually my first one_

_Now after being edited to death I am finally posting it_

_enjoy_

**Warning**

The Kaitou Kid ran. His mind kept repeating the conversation he had just overheard. It occurred to him, not for the first time, that he had the most interesting luck. Right now though, his luck was going to save a life, if he got there in time. He was too far from Tokyo, so he only had one option.

Kid's breath came in short gasps as he approached the museum. His heist was still several hours off but he knew the task force would be there preparing. A closed window blocked his way. He could have easily opened the lock if he had time to make a subtle entrance. With one last glance at his watch, the thief braced himself and plunged through the glass.

The task force looked up startled as the sound of breaking glass and alarms filled the building. A moment later a white blur launched itself over a third floor balcony. A rope slowed the figures descent. The thief hit the floor with an audible thump but quickly regained his feet.

The task force stared. _"I need to borrow a phone,"_ the magician stated urgently.

"Kid!" Nakamori shouted. "You're under arrest."

His opponent didn't even acknowledge the inspector's declaration. _"Nakamori please," _Kid was almost begging. _"I don't carry one on heists, it is too risky."_

It was the thief's tone more than the words themselves that caught the police officer's attention. Kid sounded worried.

"_It's a matter of life or death."_

His choice made, Ginzo searched his pockets. "I don't have one," he informed him.

Kid turned to the rest of the taskforce. _"Does anyone have a phone,"_ now he really sounded desperate.

As the officers checked on drew out a phone and tossed it to the thief.

Gratefully, Kid plucked it out of midair and quickly dialed. _"Come on," _he murmured to himself. _"Be there, pick up." _The taskforce watched in silence.

"Hello," a slightly cranky voice answered. The voice in question belonged to a seemingly young boy named Conan. His guardians, the Mouri's, were out of town for the week-end.

"_Thank God," _he whispered. _"It's Kid."_

Now the voice definitely sounded cranky. "What do you . . ."

The thief cut him off. _"Be quiet and listen to me. They know where you are," _he warned. _"They're coming for you."_

A quick breath was heard from the other end. "Are you certain?"

"_I'm sure," _came the reply. _"Gin and Vodka will be there in thirty minutes. Get out of that house," _Kid ordered. _"Run, now."_

A quick thanks was given before the line disconnected.

The phantom thief gave a sigh of relief before tossing the phone back and sprinting towards the exit.

"Wait!" Nakamori cried. "Where are you going?"

"_To find Kudo," _the distant words echoed off the walls_. "Before the Black Organization does."_

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_This would make a great beginning to a longer story_

_If anyone wants to borrow it, feel free_

_Remember, please review_

_You're input is appreciated _


	17. Snap

_I do not own MK or DC_

_Inspired by Ellen Brand's psych profiles_

_What would it take to push Kaito over the edge?_

**Snap**

This was not how normal Kid heists were supposed to go. The thief was non-violent, his tricks were aggravating but harmless. No one gets hurt was his cardinal rule. It was too bad not everyone shared the same morals.

Tonight another player had entered the game. The man had dark hair and pale, cold eyes. It was obvious Kid knew him, and that they were far from friends. An argument quickly broke out, threats were issued, the atmosphere was tense. The thief had no illusions where Snake was concerned.

Then it happened. A single shot rang out and Inspector Nakamori dropped in a spray of blood. For a moment the world seemed to stop spinning.

The silence was broken by an incoherent scream of rage. A white blur collided with the shooter; the two went down in a tangle of struggling limbs. The pistol flew from the assassin's grip and slid across the floor.

As they fought, fury granted the Kaitou Kid unnatural strength. He didn't even feel the shallow cut where Snake's knife had sliced across his chest. The blade was forced out of the killer's hands as the thief rolled, placing the older man under him.

Kid easily kept his opponents arms pinned down as he straddled the figure. White-gloved hands tightened around the hit-man's throat.

This, more than anything else, prompted others to act. Conan grabbed the thief's arm. Too small hand tried to pull him off the other with little success. "Kid," the other tried to reach him. "Kid stop this."

The magician didn't respond. It is possible he didn't even hear the shrunken detective's words. His grip tightened.

Hakuba added his strength while imploring Kid to let go. The thief didn't budge. Snake's face was beginning to take on a definite blue tinge.

"Kid!," a third voice broke the kaitou out of his state.

Violet eyes met the inspector's. Nakamori was being supported by two of his men. All the young man could see was the blood.

"Release him Kaitou Kid," dark eyes watched his long time prey with concern.

"_He hurt you,"_ the thief's voice was flat.

Ginzo restrained the urge to wince. "It is alright," he soothed him. "I'm alive. You don't want to do this."

The inspector was wrong, Kaito thought to himself. He very much wanted to do this. But, Snake wasn't a threat anymore. If he killed him now, it would be murder. The young man forced himself to let go and moved away. _"Get him out of my sight,"_ he hissed.

The task force didn't hesitate to act. A few nearby officers hauled the hit-man to his feet and cuffed him. As they lead him away they were stopped by a voice.

"_Snake,"_ Kid demanded the killer's attention. Once he had it he spoke, _"If you ever harm someone I care about again I will hunt you down and kill you. _His tone was like ice. _"It won't matter how far you run, or how well you hide yourself."_

If any of the officers doubted the thief meant it, his next words changed their minds.

"_I swear it on my Father's grave."_

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_I know, no one dies_

_If Nakamori hadn't been there Kid would have killed him though_

_As always any comments are welcome_

_and an extra thanks to Ellen Brand for her wonderful stories_


	18. Consequences

_Still don't own Magic Kaito_

_Never will_

**Consequences**

Kaito stumbled into one of his boltholes. He was more a fan of Lupin than Holmes, but he wasn't one to be disregard a good idea when he heard it. These small sanctuaries were spread all over Japan.

It had been a long night. The Pandora gem had been destroyed, the Black Organization was exposed, and to the thief's pleasure quite a few high-ranking members had been captured. In truth, Kaito wanted nothing better than to sleep for a week. There were other things he had to do first though, like treating his injuries.

The magician's hands crept down to gingerly probe the blood stained area. It was odd; it didn't hurt nearly as much as he thought it should. He had been stabbed, not hit by Aoko's mop. Kaito removed his shirt and froze. There was no wound.

Violet eyes looked at the unmarked skin in disbelief. His mind was moving at a mile a minute. The teen's thoughts flashed back to earlier that night.

_A gemstone swung from a chain as it glowed crimson in the moonlight. As the Kaitou Kid threw himself down a large drop of liquid flew through the air, impacting on his lips. He had swallowed a little._

The thief's throat went dry. This could not be happening to him. His hands shook slightly as he pricked one of his fingers. Silently he prayed he was wrong, no such luck. The small cut healed before his eyes, leaving nothing but a small drop of blood in its wake.

Maybe it would wear off, Kaito thought desperately. Legends got exaggerated all the time. In his heart though, he knew they hadn't been. Immortality didn't seem so bad in the short term, but watching his friends and family grow old and die while he remained the same. It was worse than any punishment the police could ever come up with.

"I didn't want this," the thief whispered to himself. "I never wanted this." He would have to live with it nonetheless.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Hope to hear your comments soon_

_I value everyone's input_


	19. Knowledge

_I know, I'm busy today_

_But I'm on a time limit_

_Soon it is back to the woods for me_

_I own no one and nothing_

**Knowledge**

Hakuba sighed faintly. It was nice to get out of the classroom for a while, but a trip to the gardens was not his idea of a good time. A hand casually dropped on the blonde's shoulder, causing him to stiffen. He turned to see violet eyes.

"Hey," Kaito greeted. "You bored." He had made it his personal mission to get his classmate to loosen up a little.

"Boredom is the sign of an unoccupied mind," the stoic detectives face gave nothing away.

The magician looked skeptical, prompting the other to continue.

"Still," Saguru admitted. "I have to admit I have never been especially interested in flowers. I do not see how the information is important," at least not outside murder investigations. Some of the plants could be used in a variety of poisons.

Kaito looked faintly horrified as he dragged his classmate over to the nearest bed. "Of course it is important," he disagreed. "Flowers can tell us a lot of things." He paused briefly before continuing. It could almost be called hesitating. "Tell me Hakuba, have you ever heard of the language of flowers."

The blonde shrugged. "A little."

"Take that one there," the magician pointed at a white chrysanthemum. "It represents truth."

Hawk-like golden eyes focused on the flower in question. He had a feeling this conversation wasn't quite as casual as Kuroba was pretending.

"A dark crimson rose means mourning." Slender fingers moved to indicate other plants. "This one represents a great wrong, while an orange lily is hatred."

The detective watched entranced as Kaito moved on, his voice soft. Where was he going with this? The magician fingered a tansy. "This flower tells of a declaration of war." A grim smile graced the brunette's lips before vanishing. The tansy was definitely appropriate.

The teen plucked one last plant from the garden before offering it to Saguru. "A detective like you should appreciate this one," he commented. "It is Coltsfoot. It means justice will be done."

Kaito stared directly into his rival's golden orbs and their eyes locked as knowledge seemed to pass between them. "So tell me tantei," he whispered. "Do you understand?"

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_I actually did research for this one_

_Shocking_

_Let's see what else I can get typed_


	20. Truce

_Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan or Case Closed_

**Truce**

The dedicated officers of the Kaitou Kid Taskforce were once again pursuing their elusive prey. At least, the phantom thief was supposed to be the prey; sometimes it was hard to tell.

The Kid laughed merrily as a police officer went flying over his head. In truth, he was impressed, the taskforce had managed to follow him into the old subway tunnels. They weren't anywhere near catching him, but the officers were doing better than usual.

The thief paused as a felling of unease swept over him. The instincts that he had honed over the years were screaming at him. Something was wrong. He didn't have time to further contemplate his feelings as the each began to shake.

A number of the officers lost their footing as tremors rocked the ground beneath their feet. The main lights flickered and went out as the tunnel began to collapse.

The Kid's eyes widened as a large chunk of concrete dropped from the ceiling and plunged towards Hakuba's head. With nearly inhuman speed the thief turned and tackled the blonde detective. The concrete shattered behind them. The thief suppressed a hiss of pain as he was hit by flying shards.

The rumbling continued for several minutes though it seemed like an eternity. After the area had stilled, Kid cautiously removed himself from the blonde. _"Are you alright tantei," _he asked.

Hakuba nodded an affirmative shake before slowly rising to his feet. The emergency lights reflected off of the boy's pale features.

With an unspoken accord, the thief and detective put aside their differences in favor of searching for the remainder of the taskforce. Unsurprisingly, Kid knew all of their names. Fifteen minutes later everyone had been accounted for except Inspector Nakamori.

Quickly, the officers organized as they swept the area with the same efficiency they brought to bear after every Kid heist. A cold wave swept through Kid's body. What would he tell Aoko? Suddenly a shout came from the far left; the inspector had been found.

Nakamori was pinned under a heavy wooden beam. He was unconscious, but alive. One of the officers turned to the Kaitou Kid. " What do we do?"

The thief stared at him, _"Why are you asking me?"_ he queried.

Another veteran member of the force expressed his agreement, "You are the best choice."

Kid turned to face the detective, _"Hakuba?"_ An almost imperceptible tremor could be heard within his tone.

"They're right," came the response. "For now, you are the best leader available, so I suppose we all agree to a truce. Just until we're out of here."

For a moment the Phantom Thief was overcome with uncertainty. He wanted to protest their choice. He was a criminal. He was only eighteen, still a child compared to those around him. He shouldn't be in charge. As he looked down at his injured opponent, his features hardened; he could do this.

Under Kid's guidance, the officers carefully removed the beam from their inspector's body. As those with medical experience checked and treated injuries, the thief sent two teams to explore the surrounding area.

The scouts had strict instructions. Stay together, was the command. Don't take unnecessary risks. It wasn't long before both groups returned. As he had suspected, they were trapped.

At least, Kid mused to himself, they are. Still, I am not going to leave them here, so it doesn't matter. His thoughts were interrupted by a faint groan from Nakamori.

As Nakamori's eyes fluttered open the first thing he saw was a blurry figure in white. Kid! The inspector's muscles tensed as he prepared to lunge, only to be stopped by a white-gloved hand which was placed gently, but firmly on his chest.

"_Don't move,"_ came the soft voice. _"You've got a few cracked ribs in addition to several other minor injuries." _

As the area came into focus the inspector noted the presence of his men. They were gathered around him, every face showing their concern. Nakamori tried to speak, to ask about his men.

The thief shook his head silently telling the other to remain silent. _"Your officers are fine,"_ he assured the inspector_. "All of them."_

The inspector relaxed slightly. Kid moved aside to be replaced by one of the officers. Now that Ginzo was awake they could treat his injuries better and get him some water. The whole time the thief's cool melodic force was there, updating him on their status and the situation.

A few hours later, the police were beginning to grow uneasy. The concrete and rock above them seemed to close in. Being helplessly confined was taking its toll on the men.

The Kid had noticed their panic setting in, so had the inspector.

"What I need," Nakamori muttered to himself. "is a distraction; something to keep their minds off of things. But what?"

An amused voice interrupted his musings. _"Really Inspector, I am surprised at you."_

Ginzo glanced at his opponent in confusion as the thief grinned.

_"You have among you one of the world's greatest magicians, and you can't think of a distraction for your men."_

Nakamori stared at him for a moment before yelling. "You can't seriously be thinking of putting on a magic show!" By now they had attracted the entire taskforce's attention.

The phantom thief chuckled as he smoothly rose to his feet. "Why not?" he asked. It's rare my audience remains in one place for long."

The inspector muttered under his breath grumbling that his taskforce was not here to be a captive audience for the thief's enjoyment. Still, he signaled for Kid to go ahead. Now the officers definitely looked interested.

With his trademark smile, the thief disappeared. The officers glanced around, straining their eyes as they peered into the darkness. It just didn't make sense that someone who wore so much white could vanish into the shadows so easily. Then again, nothing about the magician made sense.

A flash of light and a burst of smoke drew the attention of those present to the left. They blinked at the appearance of a small stage.

_"Ladies and gentlemen,"_ came a voice from the mist_. "Law officers of all ages. Welcome, to Magic Kaito's Magic Show."_

A wind swirled throughout the cavern revealing the mysterious figure of Kid the Phantom Thief. The officer's didn't strain their minds trying to figure out where the wind was coming from, or what was causing it.

For the next few hours the thief took the officer's minds off their troubles. He juggled and did card tricks. Live doves appeared out of thin air and then vanished again. Kid displayed tricks from almost every section of his extensive repertoire. He even doubled as his own beautiful female assistant, causing more than one taskforce member to blush deeply.

As the magician turned his attention toward the crowd, the smirk that adorned his features caused the audience to shift nervously. _"And now,"_ he announced, _"For my finale I need a volunteer". _There was dead silence. _"There's no reason to look so worried,"_ Kid teased. _"You act as if I am going to cut one of you in half."_

With a look of complete accord the taskforce shoved Hakuba forward. The young detective did not look pleased.

"But," Saguru tried to object. He was cut off by the thief cheerfully dragging him forward.

_"I promise tantei, I will return you in the same condition you're in now."_

Hakuba sighed, giving into his fate. He did not look particularly reassured.

Without further ado, the phantom thief whipped out a red cape, shaking in front of the detective_. "All right,"_ he announced_. "Saguru to,"_ he pulled the cape off swiftly as he finished, _"squirrel." _He couldn't resist reminding the detective of his ordeal at Akako's hands.

The task force snickered at the shocked looking tan rodent at Kid's feet.

The cape descended again. _"Saguru to dove!"_ A few more rotations resulted in an irate small animal. _"And now for my final transformation,"_ the magician announced, _"Detective Saguru Hakuba to lion!"_

Hakuba turned on the thief with a teeth filled snarl, causing Kid to take a few prudent steps back. _"Alright, alright, I'll turn you back already."_

The cape dragged over the detective one more. The officers were treated to a brief look of Saguru wearing nothing but his boxers before the cape was quickly lowered.

"Oops," The thief said, not sounding the slightest bit guilty.

A moment later Hakuba stood fully clothed looking like he was caught half way between rage and humiliation. His impending tirade was cut off by the sound of shifting boulders.

The officers turned to look just as their rescuers broke through. The task force shared looks of relief as they were escorted toward their freedom.

Suddenly Nakamori frowned. "Where is Kid?" he asked. A quick look around revealed nothing, the Kaitou Kid task force sighed unsurprised. The kaitou was gone.

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_This one is a little longer than usual_

_But I think I like it_

_Please R&R_


	21. Delayed

_Much to my disappointment I do not own Magic Kaitou_

**Delayed**

The Kaitou Kid task force was fired up. Nakamori was in the middle of his inspirational speech. This time the phantom thief would not get away. The ringing of a phone interrupted the officer's cheers. A nearby officer hit the button to transfer the call to speakerphone. "Kaitou Kid taskforce, how may I help you?" It sounded a bit corny, but they were a busy group. It was an unspoken rule that whoever was closest answered the phone.

_**"Good evening," **_a voice responded. _**"Is Nakamori-keibu present?"**_ The voice had a familiar cadence, but somehow it seemed too deep. Several officers frowned. Who did the man remind them of?

Ginzo frowned as he moved towards the machine. "This is he."

_**"Aah good,"**_ the man continued. _**"I just wanted to inform you that the Kaitou Kid is temporarily unavailable and tonight's heist will be rescheduled at a later date."**_ For all the concern in the stranger's voice, he could have just informed the officer Kid couldn't make it for tea.

Nakamori blinked, the task force blinked. This was not how things were supposed to go. The group stared at the phone like it had betrayed them.

At an undisclosed location another figure entered the room._ "What are you doing?" _The muffled question was transmitted to the station over the speakers. Now that voice the officers knew.

_**"Canceling your heist," **_there was a moment of silence.

_"You're what!!" _the phantom thief yelled.

_**"You are in no condition to go anywhere,"**_ the older man stated. _**"I am merely looking after your best interest."**_

"_I'm fine,"_ Kid protested.

"_**No, you're not."**_

"_Yes I am."_

"_**You should no better than to lie to me young master."**_

"_I'm not. . ." _His voice trailed off._ "I think I'm going to be sick."_

The task force listened intently as a door was slammed open. They could hear the sound of retching in the background. It was a little difficult to believe. The thief that regularly drove them to the edge of insanity had been brought down by the flu.

"_**Fine are you?" **_the older man didn't sound convinced.

"_Yes," _came the stubborn protest. "_I'm going and you can't stop me."_

There was a sigh followed by a faint hissing. The task force recognized it in an instant. They had heard it many times before.

"_Traitor," _Kid forced the words out. _"My own sleeping gas." There was a soft thud as he hit the floor._

Kid's assistant turned his attention back to the task force. _**"As I was saying, the young master is currently unavailable and will contact you as soon as possible." **_The phone was immediately hung up.

The task force was still as they listened to the dial tone. Finally, one of them spoke. "Does this mean we win by forfeit?"

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_All right, one typed_

_Now I just need to catch up with everything else_

_Please Review_


	22. Bonds

_I do not own Magic Kaitou_

_I have been super busy because of school,_

_But I will try to up keep up with my writing_

**Bonds**

Aoko watched her best friends antics in amusement. Kaito was in fine form today. He had even turned the teacher's hair pink. The professor hadn't noticed yet. She figured it was only a matter of time before he discovered why the class was snickering.

As her thoughts turned to the magician, the wild-haired girl frowned. Kaito had changed. Most of the time he appeared to be the same boy he had always been. But once in a while he would do something that just, that wasn't Kaito.

Sometimes Aoko thought she didn't know him anymore. It was like her friend had grown up without her. She knew he was hiding something from her. To be honest, that didn't bother the teen as much as the idea she was being left behind.

"Hey Aoko," the subject of her musings interrupted Aoko's thoughts.

When she turned to face the magician her skirt suddenly flew up above her head exposing Aoko's undergarments. The inspector's daughter turned red as she quickly yanked the material back down. It didn't take a genius to realize what had happened.

Kaito smirked. "Pink huh?" He looked amused. "Trying to compensate for something?" The magician tensed slightly. This was a game they had played many times before.

The other teen's expression shifted from embarrassment to fury. "Kaito!" she shouted. The mop that swung towards the magician's head came out of nowhere.

Kaito just laughed as the impromptu weapon passed harmlessly over his head. He would have been more surprised if Aoko hadn't tried to hit him.

On the other hand, the girl reflected as the chase continued, some things never changed. Kaito was still Kaito, he always would be. Maybe someday he would trust her with his secrets.

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_I am sort of in between projects right now_

_But I still have a lot of drabbles I need to type_

_Please Review _

_I hope you enjoyed this one_


	23. Inevitable

_I do not own Detective Conan_

_This is just my version of Shinichi & Ran's wedding_

_I'm using the Western Traditions because I don't know what a Japanese wedding is like_

_Please don't comment on that_

**Inevitable**

It was a day that had been long anticipated by everyone who knew the happy couple. That was not to say reaching this point had been easy. Romeo and Juliet's problems had been trivial in comparison. But, they had made it.

Everything was perfect; the groom was handsome, the bride radiant. Ran looked like an angel. Her white gown possessed an almost luminescent quality when the light hit it just right. If someone had asked, Shinichi would have been hard pressed to remember his own name. God she was beautiful. Honestly, he had no idea what he had done to deserve her.

The ceremony was nearing its conclusion when the inevitable happened. A scream pierced the air; it came from somewhere outside the church. The detective of the east blinked, the familiar sound bringing him out of his euphoric daze.

Smiles that had been genuine a moment before suddenly became slightly fixed. "I'm sure it was nothing," Hattori said weakly. "They were probably startled by a cat or some such." The best man didn't believe his own words for a second.

The priest looked faintly disturbed, but he continued. "Do you Shinichi Kudo take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, for richer or poorer, as long as you both shall live."

"I do," the young man had never been more certain of anything in his entire life.

"And to you Ran Mou . . ." The priest was interrupted by another scream.

"Oh my God he's dead! Help, someone help!!!" The distant voice sounded frantic.

The priest looked quite flummoxed. He wasn't sure what to do. This was not part of his job. Perhaps, he reflected, he should have paid more attention to the rumors. Bodies were said to fall out of the sky around Kudo and Hattori.

For a moment no one moved before a pair of piercing blue eyes settled on the groom. "Don't you dare Kudo." Sonoko was not about to let her best friends wedding be ruined. She turned on the priest. "Keep going," she ordered.

As her glare intensified, the older man fumbled a bit with his bible. "Do you Ran Mouri take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?" he asked. "To have and to hold, for richer or poorer, as long as you both shall live."

"I do."

"Then by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride." Thank goodness it was over, the priest wiped a bit of sweat from his brow and made a mental note to never get involved with this group again.

Shinichi quickly pecked his bride on the lips before running for the door, the detective of the west in tow. "I'm really sorry Ran," he shouted back. "I'll make it to the reception, I promise."

Ran just sighed while her father grumbled about that no good boy under his breath. She had known what she was getting into when she agreed to marry him. Still, it would have been nice if the killer had held off just a few minutes. Oh well, it would make an interesting story for their children someday.

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Hope you liked it_

_Please review, or face the wraith of the fire breathing kitty_


	24. Justice

_Still don't own Magic Kaitou_

_Just another drabble for your entertainment_

_One-shots are so much easier to write than long fics_

_Don't you agree?_

Justice

It was over. The remnants of what had once been the Pandora Gem were scattered around him. The phantom thief's breath came in harsh gasps.

Unfortunate, Kaito decided. Yes, that was the correct word to describe his situation. The young man knew he would not live to enjoy his victory. The searing pain in his midsection told him he wasn't going anywhere. At least not quickly, and somehow the magician doubted the other was just going to let him go.

Snake stood a mere ten feet away. Although the killer's body trembled with rage his aim was steady. The only reason Kid wasn't already dead was that the killer wanted to enjoy the moment. Kaito had slipped through his fingers too many times. "Tell me boy," he inquired maliciously. "Was it worth it? We would have given you anything you asked if you had just handed Pandora over?"

_"What about my Father's life Snake? Could you give that back to me,"_ a grim smile crossed the thief's face. _"If it means no one else dies because of this accursed stone," _he paused. _"Then yes, it was worth it."_

"You are a fool."

Blue-violet eyes looked steadily down the barrel of the gun. _ "Better a fool than a murderer." _Kaito braced himself. This was it.

Then it happened. A black and white sphere slammed into the assassin's head, relieving him of consciousness. The bullet slammed harmlessly into the wall at Kaito's left, Snake's aim thrown off by the force of the impact. It took the thief a moment to realize what had happened.

The course of the soccer ball, for that is what it was, was followed back to a figure Kaito knew quite well. An extremely serious look graced the detective's features. At that moment, the young man could not fathom how anyone could believe the other to be a child. _"Kudo,"_ he murmured.

Tense muscles relaxed as the thief's eyes slid shut. He could not claim he regretted the actions he had taken. If he had to, Kaito would do it all again. Besides, no jail would hold the brunette for long. That didn't change the facts though. He could never go home. The magician's thoughts strayed to his best friend. Aoko would hate him; that, he did regret.

It occurred to the white-clad figure that it had been to long. He opened his eyes only to see the tantei had not moved. What was Kudo waiting for?

Kaito was unaware of the maelstrom that raged inside his rival's mind. He had heard everything. Am I any better? Shinichi wondered. He had lied, to many people. The paper's that allowed Conan to function in everyday society had been forged. If he had been in Kid's shoes, what would he have done? Finally the detective spoke. "Go."

Go? The magician was overcome by a sense of shock. _"What?"_ he started.

Kudo cut him off with a sharp shake of the head. "Just go Kid, before I change my mind." Sometimes the spirit of the law was more important than the letter.

Kaito slowly rose to his feet and bowed deeply to the other, ignoring the twinge in his side. _"Thank-you meitantei."_ Then he turned and walked away. It was time to lay his Father's ghost to rest.

FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG

_I feel so bad, I'll try to update more often_

_School just got away from me_

_Please review_


	25. Confession

_No matter how much I may want them _

_I will never won Magic Kaito or Detective Conan_

**Confession**

None of the four young men were entirely certain of how they had gotten into this situation. First, Kudo had discovered that the men who were responsible for his, ahem, little situation and those shooting at Kid on a semi-regular basis were members of the same underground syndicate. Naturally, he had told Hattori.

After discussing the matter, the pair had decided they needed more information. It wasn't easy, but the two detectives had managed to get Kid into a position where he would at least listen to their proposal. The thief had finally admitted he was also working towards the group's downfall, but typically failed to say why.

Kudo and Hattori were not overly pleased with their new partner's secrecy, but there was nothing they could do about it. As long as the Black Organization got what was coming to them, the pair could live without knowing the magician thief's secrets.

Then came Hakuba. The blond had nothing to do with the syndicate. He did however have a great deal to do with the Kaitou Kid. Once Saguru had stumbled into the picture, the other three had no choice but to include him. Being of like mind concerning certain things, like justice, it hadn't taken him long to fall into line.

So there they were. Three detectives and the thief they should have been trying to arrest, but weren't. They had all agreed to a truce. The thief had sworn to retire after the Black Organization was taken care of. In return, Kid had nothing to fear from them.

The group had all taken a break from their respective lives in an attempt to make some headway on the case. Hattori busied himself tacking pictures to a wall while talking to his friend. "What did you tell nee-chan?" he asked.

Kudo, known to all but a few as Conan Edogawa snorted. "She thinks I am visiting my parents." A bitter smile crossed his face. Sadly, he had become accustomed to being treated as a child. He glanced at the British detective. "What about you Hakuba?"

A piece of imaginary lint was brushed off the blonde's suit as he answered. "I told them I was working on a case." Golden eyes shifted to regard his long time prey. "Oddly enough, one of my class-mates is also out of town."

The white-clad figure smirked. _"Do you have a point Hakuba? Really, you should be ashamed of yourself the way you torment that poor boy."_

Hakuba quirked a brow. "You seem unusually well informed." If he hoped to trick the thief into admitting something he failed. They had played this game many times before.

Kid just shrugged. _"I keep my eye on all of you,"_ he freely admitted. _"For instance, did you know Officer Uzumo is going to ask his girlfriend to marry him? He bought the ring two days ago."_

Golden eyes blinked at that bit of trivia. "Fascinating, but irrelevant. Besides," his voice gained a slightly frustrated edge. "I think it is about fifty-fifty as to who torments who."

A wide grin split across the kaitou's face as Kudo and Hattori watched the pair's interaction in puzzled silence. The two detectives had the feeling they were missing something.

It was several hours later when Saguru sprang his trump card. He glanced at his pocket watch before pulling a large sack out of his carry bag. "Dinner?" he inquired.

The others quickly assented. After all, empty stomachs lead to empty minds. The blond placed a container before each of them before flipping one open. "It's sushi." If he hadn't been looking for it, Saguru would have never seen the brief tensing of the thief's muscles. He smirked. "Well Kid, aren't you going to eat it?" Golden eyes gleamed with an unspoken challenge.

Mentally Kaito ran through his options. First, he could shove his fear into a tiny box and hide it in a dark corner of his mind. Or, he could refuse the fish. That would only give Hakuba more fuel for the fire. But then, why was he playing his cards so close to his chest. He trusted the detectives; they would not betray him. The thief could only blame his actions on habit. The teen made his choice.

"All right Hakuba," the magician's voice settled into its natural register. "You win, just get it away." Kaito dropped his front in favor of getting results. "Getitaway, getitaway, getitaway."

Humor shown through Hakuba's triumphant smile. "All you had to do was ask Kuroba."

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Personally I think Hakuba should be worrying _

_about what Kaito will do in retaliation_

_As always, please review_


	26. Double

_Disclaimer: If you can't remember, go back one chapter_

_Inspired, sort of, by the latest Kudo/Kuroba family fic by __JoIsBishMyoga_

_If you haven't read __Inconceivable than I suggest you do_

**Double**

_Kaito laughed, playfully wrapping an arm around his newly discovered brother's shoulder. "Come on Shin-chan, you have to admit it was funny."_

_"All right, it was mildly humorous." Honestly, Shinichi had loosened up a lot since the downfall of the Black Organization. Not that he had taken credit for it; the teen didn't want the attention. It was amazing how the lack of impending death could influence a guy. Getting his real body back had helped too._

_Hakuba frowned as he noticed the approaching pair, the teenage detective of the east and his classmate, whom he strongly suspected of being the Kaitou Kid. What were they doing together? The blonde detective decided to do what he did best, investigate. _

_"Good morning Kuroba-kun," he greeted. There was no reason not to be polite after all. "And Kudo-kun, I was unaware the two of you were acquainted."_

_A familiar look crossed the magician's face. Saguru saw it every time Kaito pulled a prank in class. The detective couldn't stop himself from tensing slightly, maybe he should have left well enough alone. Then Kuroba smiled. "Didn't you know Hakuba? Me and Shinichi were adopted. We're twins."_

_As the blond stared horrorstricken, the pair smirked at him. The expression was identical._

Thump. Hakuba struggled out of his blankets before rising to his feet. The blonde looked around wildly before realizing he was in his room. His pocket watch lay open on his desk, 3: 47 a.m.

Shakily Saguru wiped the sweat from his brow. "A nightmare," he realized. "It was just a nightmare." Thank God, he thought. There was no way he could handle two of them. Kuroba was enough trouble by himself.

Besides, thief with a twin brother who was a detective? He snorted. It would never happen.

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Please R&R_

_And do remember to check out that story_


	27. Tree

_Still don't own Magic Kaitou_

_Here's a little Christmas Cheer_

_for all of my readers_

**Tree?**

Ginzo swore under his breath as he tried to balance his keys, his newspaper, and his coffee. It had not been a good morning. The police inspector turned the corner and stopped abruptly.

His men were gathered in the hallway. Their voices combined to form a steady murmur. The inspector couldn't see what all the fuss was about. He frowned. "Would someone like to explain what you all are doing?" Nakamori inquired, voice deceptively mild.

The group hastily straightened before clearing a path for their leader. Ginzo stared; maybe he was hallucinating? He blinked, then looked again. Nope, it was still there. The inspector knelt next to the pile of presents and began reading labels; Uzumo, Yamada, Hakuba. There was one for every member of the task force.

Teeth started to grind. "And just how did Kid get a fully decorated, ten foot tall Christmas tree into the station without anyone noticing!!!"

The officers stumbled over each other in an attempt to give their superior a satisfactory answer. Each theory was more outlandish than the last.

Finally Nakamori sighed. He held up one hand, demanding silence. Once he had it he continued. "All right people, what do we know?"

For a long moment no one responded. Then, one officer gathered his courage and spoke. "It's a Douglas fir, sir."

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Hope you liked it_

_Lots of Douglas fir trees _

_grow where I live_

_Please Review_


	28. Kuroba

_As depressing as it is, I do not own Magic Kaitou_

_This one has been bouncing around in my head for a long time now_

_It was inspired by the definition of Kaito's name, a picture I saw once,_

_and Icka's comment that Yes, Kid is just a little bit fae_

**Kuroba**

An unnatural calm descended over Hakuba as his body pitched over the side of the high building. He knew no one was going to catch him. Kid's hang glider had been destroyed in the shoot out.

The detective had always wondered how the thief felt during that weightless moment before his transformed cape lifted the him into the air. Under different circumstances, Saguru could have seen the appeal. Somehow though, the thought of impending death was more than enough to wipe away the thrill.

It isn't the fall that kills you, the blond thought with gallows humor. It's the sudden stop at the bottom. Hakuba couldn't help but calculate the time he had left. Thirty seconds until impact. Wind whistled past the young man's ears, twenty-five, twenty, fifteen.

Air whooshed out of Saguru's chest as his body abruptly changed direction. A pair of strong arms had wrapped around the detective's chest, baring him skywards. Something about the way they were moving was wrong, the detective vaguely considered. He would figure it out; he just needed a moment.

The figure's grip tightened as he bore them towards a nearby building. It was obviously a strain. The pair had barely made it to the nearby roof when a powerful gust of wind slammed into the thief from one side. He released Hakuba before slamming into a wall.

The detective struggled to his feet after hearing the sound of impact. "Kid?" there was no doubt in his mind as to who had caught him, although he did not understand how. Golden eyes peered into the shadows. It took a moment to spot the slender figure, not that he could see much.

_"Stay away," _the phantom thief's voice was reminiscent of a wounded animal. The area around him darkened in response to his desire to remain hidden.

Hakuba took a step forward, his gaze concerned. He was certain Kid was hurt. How badly he did not know.

_"I said stay away!" _

The detective moved a little closer. He had already decided what he was going to do. "One days truce is a small price to pay for my life. Do you not agree?" he inquired.

Kid hesitated, could he trust the detective.

"Everything that happens here will be strictly between the two of us. You have my word." Hakuba meant it. Inspector Nakamori wouldn't question him if he claimed the thief had just dropped him there.

For a heartbeat nothing happened. Then, the shadows slowly lifted to reveal a familiar figure. Given what had happened, it was not a surprise that Kid's left hand was clamped over his right shoulder. The shock came from the humongous raven wings that had emerged from the magician's back. One of them lay at an unnatural angle.

The detective gasped. His eyes were wide as he took in the scene in front of him.

The phantom thief looked uncharacteristically vulnerable at that moment. He attempted to curl his wings around his body, hiding it from view. A soft whimper escaped Kid's throat before the feathered appendages moved back to their original position.

The sound brought the detective back to his senses. Carefully he knelt beside his rival. "What's wrong?" As concerned as he was about the other, Saguru had to admit some frustration. Kid was right there, and he still couldn't make out the thief's face.

_"I don't know," _the other's voice was thick with pain. _"I can't retract them."_

With the same care he employed while handling Watson, Hakuba carefully examined the magician's wings. "You know," he stated conversationally. "Logically you should not have been able to carry both of us." The blond didn't really care about that, he was just trying to distract the Kid.

His patient laughed shakily. _"Since when has logic ever applied to me?" _Honestly, the thief was a little surprised he hadn't dropped like a stone. Not that he would ever tell Hakuba that. Kid kept himself still as the detective finished his careful probing.

"Nothing is broken," Saguru informed him. "It is just dislocated. I'll have to pop it back into place."

The thief considered his words before nodding sharply. _"Do it!"_

The blond didn't give Kid time to tense up. He just braced his hands and pulled. The joint resisted a little before moving back into its socket. Hakuba was knocked off his feet when the wings instinctively flared. An ethereal light surrounded them before they pulled back into the magician thief's body.

Then Kid fell. Saguru scrambled forward to prevent the figure from hitting the ground. It didn't even occur to him that he had finally caught the Kaitou Kid. All he felt was panic.

Just how different was the magician's physiology? It looked like he was going into shock. The detective stripped off his jacket and laid it over the other, cradling Kid close in an attempt to keep him warm.

After a few minutes the thief spoke. _"I'm all right," _his skin was unnaturally pale and tremors still wracked his body.

Hakuba gave him a skeptical look. "All right how?" He had never heard the magician sound so weak.

Kid's response was a shrug. _"I've always healed fast,"_ he revealed. _"It is part of my heritage." _He knew he couldn't get away with pretending nothing had happened.

"Your heritage," the detective repeated. Part of him looked at the thief as though he had never seen him before. "I admit I have to wonder about that."

The thief just smirked before rising to his feet. A swirl of the detective's jacket and he was immaculately clothed in his trademark white tux. "_What is there to tell?"_ he asked. _"Once upon a time a man feel in love with a beautiful woman, except this man wasn't exactly human." _Kid brushed some imaginary lint off the fabric as he spoke.

_"There are many names for his race. Oberon's children, fae, sidlhe, animal spirits," _his voice dropped, _"youkai. Regardless, all of the pair's descendants have been different, special. It is,"_he continued. _"The source of my family's magic."_

The thief pulled a dove out of thin air as he turned to face Saguru. _"And tell me my dear tantei, where is the best place to hide something?" _Kid was certain a rabid Holmes fan like Hakuba would know the answer. The blond didn't disappoint.

"In plain sight," he murmured.

White teeth flashed briefly in the darkness. _"Precisely."_

A few weeks later Hakuba watched from his balcony as a winged figure crossed in front of the moon. He raised his teacup in acknowledgement before moving back inside. A faint smile adorned his lips. "Kuroba," the detective murmured to himself. "Black feather."

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_This is much more AU than my other MK stories_

_I admit Hakuba is a little out of character, _

_but I figure years around Kaito and Akako have worn him down_

_If you like this I do have a prequel all about how our favorite magician thief's ancestors met. It is actually a multi-chapter fic. This one was getting too long so I decided to remove part of it for another drabble and it just grew. _

_I'm sure you all understand how that can happen_

_Please review_


	29. Morals

_Sadly enough, Magic Kaitou is not my property_

**Morals**

A white-clad figure soared effortlessly through the night air before silently alighting on the branch of a large tree. He had long since lost his pursuers. The thief had to hand it to them though. He had been forced to resort to plan C to assure his escape. Kid held the night's prize up to the moon only to sigh faintly in disappointment.

"Not what you're looking for," a familiar voice interrupted his contemplations.

If Kid was surprised by the presence of the sorceress he gave no sign. "No," he did not bother to claim he wasn't looking for something. Akako wouldn't believe him anyway. Some spirit had probably given her that bit of info. He turned to face the gorgeous young woman only to pause. She had to most peculiar look on her face. _"Is something bothering you Miss. Witch?" _he inquired.

The redhead was silent a moment before she spoke. "Why?" she asked. "Why do you do this?"

Laughter emerged from the magician's throat before he answered her. _"Isn't that Hakuba-kun's question?"_

Akako made an abortive gesture. "That is not what I meant." A quirked brow prompted the witch to continue. "With all your power, everything you are capable of, why bother with parlor tricks?"

She had watched the thief for a long time. Smoke and mirrors, that was all he usually used at his heists. Kid only brought out the real magic when people were in danger. "You didn't have to go to such lengths to get away tonight," she continued. "If you really wanted to, you could probably walk through walls."

The phantom thief gave her an amused smirk at that_. "You really want to know why, it is simple really."_ He leaned in close to whisper in her ear_. "It wouldn't be fair otherwise." _ Then he was gone, leaving nothing but a rush of misplaced air.

For a moment the witch just stood there. Then she shook her head in disbelief. Only the Kaitou Kid would relinquish a huge advantage over his pursuers just because it went against his morals.

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_This one is unusual because I did not write it on paper first_

_It just came to me while I was typing something else_

_Please Review_


	30. Fortune

_Still don't own Magic Kaitou or Detective Conan_

_Major bummer that_

**Fortune**

Conan rubbed the back of his head, willing the pain to go away. Every time he and the Mouri's went to a restaurant it was the same thing. The Great Sleeping Detective would bop him on the head for some inane reason. After that, Ran would scold her father and they would all sit down to eat.

At least, he and Ran would. It was the detective's belief that Richard consumed more alcohol than food. Therefore, it wasn't a surprise that the so-called adult of their party was drunk. He was acting like even more of fool than usual.

It came as a great relief to the shrunken teen when the bill arrived, accompanied by the group's fortune cookies. He could not wait to get back to the agency.

Ran smiled as she read her fortune aloud. "Someone you care for is watching over you." She hoped it was true. Maybe Shinichi would be back soon. She turned her gaze to the boy who reminded her so much of her childhood friend. "What does yours say Conan-kun?"

The detective stared at the slip of paper a moment before sighing in exasperation. "You will meet a figure clad in white on the night of the next full moon." He flipped it over to see what appeared to be a line of gibberish. Idly he wondered how the thief had managed to deliver the note.

Ran's Father snorted. "Aren't you a little young to be having a midnight rendezvous with some girl?" And white, the plastered PI wondered. Why white?

Kudo sweat dropped. Just how much had the older man had to drink tonight; not even Richard was that stupid. A smirk appeared on the detectives face as he refocused his attention on his _fortune_. This time Kid wouldn't get away.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_It struck me as an interesting way to deliver a heist note_

_I used the sleeping detectives English name because_

_I couldn't remember how to spell the other one_

_Hope you enjoyed_


	31. Saved?

_My response to the latest challenge on manycasesonetruth_

**Saved?**

Cold sweat ran down the back of Shinichi's, or rather Conan's, neck. This was it, they had found him, and he was going to die. He just hoped Ran and her father would be safe, they didn't know anything.

Gin smirked. It was an ugly expression, showing humor in a situation were there should be none. "Any last words detective?" he asked softly.

The brunette's only response was a cold glare. No way was he going to lower himself by begging for his life. Then Ayumi strolled around the corner.

The bright-eyed child took in the scene, especially the gun that was pointed at her friend's head before scowling. "Hey you! Get away from Conan-kun," she demanded.

Shinichi's heart just about stopped right there. Why didn't she run?

"This isn't your concern little girl," Gin didn't even look at her. She was no threat. "Leave now and I might let you live."

"I said get away from Conan-kun." The large mallet appeared from nowhere, whistling through the air. A sickening crack was heard as it impacted with Gin's head. The man dropped like a stone.

The detective stared. How could she even lift that thing?

A soft blush spread across Ayumi's cheeks as she lowered her eyes to the ground. The girl fidgeted a little before speaking. "Ano, Conan-kun. I was wondering if you could take me for ice-cream sometime." It would have looked cute, if not for the fact she was still holding the mallet.

The shrunken teenager swallowed. In situations like this there were no right answers. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

_Finis_

_I admit, the mallet came from Ranma ½_

_Hoped you enjoyed it_


	32. Fledgling

_Still don't own Magic Kaitou_

_This one takes place in the Kuroba 'verse_

_It is actually the epilogue for my story Black Feather_

_But, it makes a good one shot so I thought I'd put it here _

_For those of you who weren't interested in the story_

_i.e. didn't read it_

**Fledgling**

A darkly clad figure glided through the air on silent wings. His precious bundle was carefully cradled in his arms. He was a man of many names and many faces. He was a great magician; he was a phantom thief.

Tonight though, he was just Toichi. This was a night for family. He needed no masks here. Raven wings were folded neatly behind him as he landed in the clearing.

A moment later, a second figure descended from the sky. Aakesh had changed little in the intervening centuries, outwardly at least. No one is completely unchanged by the passage of time after all.

"Grandfather," Toichi greeted respectfully. All right, maybe not so respectfully. Mischief danced in his eyes.

The youkai sighed faintly. He had tried to get his descendants to refer to him as uncle, but it had never stuck. They were too much like him he supposed. "Toichi," Aakesh glided over to the younger man to peer into the pile of blankets. "And this must be my newest grandson.

The babe looked like a darker version of Cupid. For the time being, Toichi had removed the illusion that hid his son's tiny wings. In time, the young hybrid would learn to retract them, as he had once upon a time.

At that moment, the infant opened his eyes, revealing brilliant blue-violet orbs. He giggled before reaching for the new person. This, more than anything revealed he was not a normal human child. But then, the pair already knew that.

Aakesh smiled softly. This one had power, more than his Father. He could feel it already. "What is his name?" he asked.

"Kaito."

"Kaito," the violet-eyed man rolled the name around his mouth as he considered it. "It suits him," Aakesh turned his attention back to the babe. "Welcome to the world my little fledgling."

Toichi's lips quirked. "I'm glad you approve." For a time the pair stood in comfortable silence, regarding the newest member of their family.

The moment was broken when the magician thief groaned. "You know," Toichi stated conversationally. "If my wife finds out I took Kaito flying, she will kill me. She wanted me to wait."

A laugh emerged from Aakesh's throat. "Nonsense, he is a Kuroba." The youkai's eyes glittered with untold secrets. "Why else does he have wings if not to fly?"

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_This 'verse has just caught hold of me_

_I'll probably do more with it in the future_

_As always, I appreciate your comments_


	33. Countdown

_Disclaimer: I own nothing owned by someone else_

_I guess this one counts as a prompt_

_Icka gave me permission to use it_

_Heiji, Kaito, and a bomb_

**Countdown**

_"Tantei, Tantei-han!"_

Someone was shaking him, Hattori vaguely realized.

"_Detective wake up!" _The person did not sound happy.

The Osaken's eyebrows crinkled as he tried to piece together what had happened. He had been at the Kid heist. Then he had seen a man with a gun; bad luck that. The armed man had hit him.

Green eyes snapped open to see a white-clad figure at his side. Hattori's attempt to grab the thief was less than successful. Kid easily moved to one side leaving the detective to tumble back to the floor. As he lay there, his mind finished rebooting. Why was Kid still there anyway? That question was answered quickly.

_"Can you disarm a bomb?" _the phantom thief demanded. He couldn't. It wasn't a skill Kaito had ever thought he would need.

Any thoughts Heiji had of apprehending the famous thief went right out the window. He swallowed hard. "Where is it?"

Kid immediately grabbed the other's arm, dragging him past an unconscious bound figure that Hattori recognized as his attacker. It didn't take the pair long to reach the spot. The thief was silent as his law-abiding counterpart examined the device.

"There is good news and bad news," Hattori stated at last. If given a choice, the dark skinned teen would have preferred to evacuate the building and call the bomb squad. Unfortunately, there wasn't that much time. "The good new is I recognize this model."

The thief wasn't reassured. _"And the bad news," _he inquired neutrally.

Hattori held out trembling fingers. "That guy hit me just a bit to hard." The detective was certain he had a concussion. He turned to look straight into the thief's eyes, or as close to it as he could manage.

Kid knew exactly what the other was asking. Inwardly Kaito steadied himself and moved to kneel next to the dark skinned figure. _"Tell me what to do."_

At first everything went fine, until that is the pair hit the final layer. "Uh oh," Hattori did not look happy.

White-clad hands remained perfectly still. _"What kind of uh oh?"_

The Osaken smiled grimly. "Looks like someone decided to get creative. We have a fifty-fifty shot, yellow or blue." He glanced at the other, "any regrets."

For a moment the thief considered not answering before he laughed softly._"If I can't tell you, here, then who can I tell? I regret not telling a very special woman how I feel about her," _he admitted. _"And you?"_

Hattori smirked. "Seems we have more in common than I thought." He didn't bother asking Kid if he wanted to leave. The detective knew the thief would refuse, same as him.

"_Blue or Yellow?" _ The kaitou got back to business.

Green eyes hardened. "Blue."

Kid gave a short prayer and cut the wire. The timer stopped with less than a minute to spare. The thief allowed himself a deep breath before rising to his feet and starting to walk away. His work was done here.

"Hey Kid."

The thief turned to look back at Hattori. The Osaken wasn't the type to continue the chase considering the circumstances they had found themselves in.

"So, are you going to tell her?" Heiji asked.

Kid smiled softly_. "My dear detective, situations like this are exactly why I don't tell her. She can do much better than a thief like me." _

Hattori just stood there, waiting until the other was out of sight. After he was certain the thief was gone he called the police to explain the situation. Privately, he wished Kid the best. The detective had never thought he would feel sorry for the kaitou, but he did.

_FoaGFaoGFaoGFoaG_

_Hope you liked it_

_Please R&R_


	34. Exodus

_Disclaimer: MK is not my property_

_My response to Challenge #57 on manycasesonetruth_

_Sequel to my drabble "Consequences"_

**Exodus**

At first glance, the young man standing at the train station appeared to be nothing special. Kaito wished with all his heart that was true, unfortunately it wasn't. The magician looked at the city of his birth with sad eyes. He couldn't put this off any longer.

It had been many years since he had found and destroyed the Pandora Gem, since his Father's killers had been brought to justice. Kaito had never expected to walk away unscathed. Still, the consequences of his actions had been far greater than he had anticipated.

The magician thief had watched as his friends and classmates grew, got married, had children. None of them understood why Kaito hadn't done the same. Aoko was constantly urging him to go out and find a girl. It wasn't surprising they hadn't caught on to his secret; he had taken steps to make sure of that.

Kaito was a master of disguise, and he used that skill constantly. Changes in his bearing and clothes had been enough for a time. Next he was forced to tame his hair into a more professional look. A bit of padding gave the illusion of the few pounds even the most active adults gain. In recent years, the liberal use of cosmetics had created laugh lines around his eyes and a few bits of gray had appeared in his hair.

He could fool them, but Kaito couldn't fool himself. Despite the fact he was almost forty, beneath his masks lay the face of a nineteen year old. He had stayed as long as he could, but now it was time to go.

With a heavy heart the magician boarded the locomotive, leaving his old life behind. As the train left the station, a single tear fell down his cheek. Immortality wasn't a blessing; it was a curse.

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Sniff, it is so sad_

_I don't know what possessed _

_me to write this one_


	35. Proof

_Still don't own Magic Kaitou_

_This is a plunnie that came to me when I was working on SoaG_

_Since it doesn't fit with that story I decided to put it here_

**Proof**

In a perfectly average house, in a perfectly ordinary neighborhood, a not so ordinary young man lay carelessly sprawled over his couch. Kaito Kuroba looked totally relaxed. In truth he was anything but. This day would make or break him, and he knew it.

The magician thief gave silent thanks that Snake was an idiot. Imagine, him being his Father. Still, it would help him in the long run. When it came down to it, all the police had was circumstantial evidence. That, Kaito knew, would be his salvation.

He had done everything he could. There was nothing in the house that would imply the magician was anything other than what he appeared to be. Kaito's workroom had been locked from the inside. A little real magic did the rest. No one would stumble into Kid's lair the way he had done once upon a time.

As the doorbell rang, Kaito's poker face slid into place with an almost audible click. He got up and moved to open the door. Inwardly he was utterly unsurprised to find Nakamori-keibu, Hakuba, and several members of the Task Force standing on his doorstep; outwardly he blinked. "Inspector? What are you doing here?" His expression turned concerned. "Is something wrong with Aoko?"

"No Aoko is fine," the older man shifted uncomfortably. "I'm afraid I'm here on official business Kuroba-san."

If Kaito hadn't already known why Ginzo was there the overly formal honorific would have been warning enough. He gave the officer's a puzzled look. "Official business?" he echoed. "Here?"

Nakamori nodded before softly explaining the situation.

"Whoa whoa time out." Kaito held up his hands in a crossed position. "Let me get this straight. This man you arrested, who the police know to be a killer, has claimed my Father is the Kaitou Kid."

Once again the inspector nodded, but did not speak. He wasn't exactly happy to be here.

"Need I remind you my Father has been dead for over a decade," the magician let his grief leak into the words.

"I know Kaito-kun, but we have to investigate." Kaito could see the regret in Nakamori's dark eyes. "If we have to we can come back with a warrant."

The magician shook his head before opening the door. "That won't be necessary inspector," he stated. "Come in." It was better to get this over with.

For the next several hours the officers searched the house from top to bottom while Hakuba sat next to his former classmate. "They're not going to find anything," the detective said at last, turning to face the magician. "Are they." It was more of a statement than a question.

Kaito just stared at him. "Why would they?" Hakuba sighed and leaned back against the couch. Why had he even bothered?

Finally they were finished. Inspector Nakamori gave Kaito his apologies and ushered his men out the door. He paused in the driveway, looking back over his shoulder at the young man he had watched grow up. In truth, Ginzo had his own suspicions, but they were just that, suspicions. As long as there was no proof, it didn't matter, which was just as well, considering what else the assassin had said.

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_It's true, Snake doesn't have any proof_

_Which means they can't arrest Kaito_

_Please R&R_


	36. Meetings

_I own no one and nothing_

_Except my fire-breathing kitty_

**Meetings**

Shinichi sighed as he wandered the halls of the university. Ran had decided to visit a friend and somehow he had gotten dragged along. Oh well, it wasn't as though he had anything to complain about. The brunette had regained his real body and the Black Organization was history. Ran had agreed to go out with him, after she had hit him for being an idiot.

The detective would die before he admitted it aloud, but he didn't regret his time as Conan. He had learned many things and made some great friends, like Ai and Hattori. A grimace crossed Kudo's face as he remembered how arrogant he had been. Humility had been one of the first lessons he had learned during his second childhood.

A flash of white in the corner of his eye brought to mind a different subject. That was another thing that had changed. It had been almost a year since the Kaitou Kid had suddenly retired, sending Nakamori his letter of resignation. The inspector's reaction to that had been loud.

Surprisingly, Shinichi's disappointment had nothing to do with the fact he had never caught the thief. The young man's intellect didn't completely isolate him. He did have peers. Still, Kid was his equal, the one person who had ever truly challenged him. Heaven help him, he missed the kaitou.

Kudo turned a corner, only to run smack dab into another figure. Strong arms wrapped around the detective, steadying him before he could fall.

"Are you alright?" an unfamiliar voice asked.

The tantei nodded before turning around; an apology on his lips, and promptly froze. His breath caught as he stared into the shocked sapphire orbs, eyes that were set in his own face.

The other man looked just like him, but with wilder hair. Shinichi realized just whom he had run into almost immediately. The detective knew the Kaitou Kid was gone, and that he wasn't coming back. Then again, so was Conan Edogawa. Maybe it was time to start over. "Do I know you?" Kudo inquired lightly. His eyes gleamed in anticipation. "You seem familiar."

The retired thief knew exactly what his rival was thinking, that didn't mean he wouldn't play his part. The brunette shook his head. "I don't think so, and I'm sure I would remember." He leaned forward, taking a closer look at the tantei's face. "It's weird. If I didn't know better I would swear we were related."

Kudo almost grinned. It was a good excuse to explain away Kid's earlier reaction. Most people would have fallen for it. Neither of them were most people. "Shinichi Kudo," he introduced himself.

The magician almost hesitated before reaching out to shake the other's hand. "Kaito Kuroba, pleased to meet you."

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

"_If he hadn't been my enemy, he would have been my friend"_

_I've always thought this quote suited Kaito and Shinichi well_

_What do you think?_


	37. Freedom

_Neither Magic Kaitou or Kaito-kun belong to me_

_This one is in the Kuroba 'verse_

_Warning: youkai! Kaito_

**Freedom**

A sigh escaped Kaito's lips as he felt tight muscles relax. He had needed this more than he had realized. The darkly clad figure pushed his body to the utmost, twisting and turning through the air before soaring towards the moon.

The hang glider he used during his night job was a poor substitute. Really, the two sensations didn't even compare. The magician kept going until the thinning oxygen made it difficult to breath. Kaito paused for a moment to admire the view; the city's lights looked almost like colorful stars from this distance. Then, he let himself fall.

During debates on the Kaitou Kid's sanity, or lack there of, one of the most commonly brought up points was the thief's tendency to throw himself off tall buildings. What kind of person had such a casual disregard for heights? They asked.

The answer to that question was simple, one who could fly. Raven wings unfurled to their full extent, lifting the young hybrid back into the air long before he was in any real danger. A smile of pure contentment spread across his features.

Kaito felt a brief surge of pity for his fully mortal classmates. Not even Akako could truly understand the freedom of the open sky, the feeling of the wind beneath his wings. This was his birthright, and there was nothing else quite like it in the entire world.

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_I really should be studying right now_

_Gives puppy eyes, but it was just a little story_

_Conscious doesn't seem impressed_


	38. Pandora

_Magic Kaitou is not my creation, don't sue_

**Pandora**

Blue-violet eyes were locked on the glowing gemstone with an almost frightening intensity. After years of searching, the Pandora Gem was finally in his grasp. Kaito had to admit the piece was beautiful. It just goes to show that nothing should be judged by its appearance alone.

The thief found it appropriate the stone shown the color of freshly spilled blood. _"How many people have died because of you I wonder?" _His voice was soft. It didn't need to be; he was alone. _"How much blood shed in your name? A lake? An ocean?"_ More then just a few puddles Kaito was sure. 

His next words were considered carefully before he spoke them. _"I hate you." _Kaito knew he shouldn't. Pandora was just a gem. It had never asked someone to kill in the pursuit of immortality. The young man knew humanity had never needed a reason to destroy; history was full of examples. That knowledge didn't change the magician's feelings though, emotion was rarely logical. 

_"You've taken everything from me. Everything that mattered." _First his Father, brought low by an assassin, then his innocence as he hunted Toichi's killers. As Kid, Kaito was more than passably familiar with the darker side of life. Secret upon secret distanced him from his best friend, even if Aoko didn't know it. Kaito was no longer the little boy she had met so long ago.

Strong fingers gripped the gem tighter as he lowered it to his side. It was over. Soon the Pandora Gem would never hurt anyone ever again. That didn't change the fact Kaito would always bear its marks, and not just the physical ones.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Okay, that was darker than I intended_

_As my penance my next drabble will be a humor fic_

_I even have an idea for it_

_Please review, feedback makes me a happy writer_


	39. Ill

_I own nothing and no one_

_When Kaito gets sick, odd things tend to happen_

**Ill**

Hakuba approached the ordinary looking house, pile of homework in hand. Kaito hadn't been in school that day. Evidently, the magician was sick. When the teacher had asked for someone to deliver the other teen's homework, the blond had been quick to volunteer.

Truthfully, Saguru's motives were not entirely altruistic. The perpetually suspicious detective intended to make sure Kuroba was actually in bed, as oppose to say, planning his next heist. Maybe he would finally be able to prove Kaito was Kid.

Meanwhile, the object of the detective's suspicions was feeling miserable. Kaito didn't get seriously ill that often, when he did though, it hit hard. The magician had a fever and his nose was stuffed up. It made it difficult to think. He curled deeper into his blankets in an attempt to stop the shivers that wracked his body. The teen didn't really understand how he could be too hot and too cold at the same time, but he was.

"Kaito, you have a guest," his Mother called from outside the door.

Kaito groaned. "Tell Aoko I'm dying."

"Sorry to disappoint, but Aoko-chan isn't here," a decidedly masculine voice spoke up.

The magician turned to see Hakuba standing in his doorway holding a stack of papers. _Great, _Kaito thought to himself, _my day is now complete. _"Thanks," he muttered grudgingly. "Now it would be best if you left." It was hard enough keeping his powers in check without distractions.

Hakuba started to ask why when his classmate sneezed. The pile of homework vanished, to be replaced by a bouquet of flowers. The detective shot Kaito a look of annoyance. "Kuroba," he warned. This was not the time for games.

"Achoo!" the lights flickered. "Achoo!" Kaito's walls turned a bright lime green. "Achoo!" a platypus poked its head out of the closet and crawled under the bed.

The detective's look of annoyance transformed into one of concern. "Are you all right?"

Kaito started to nod only to give one last sneeze. "ACHOO!"

Hakuba stared, reaching out a hand. He could feel the cold wetness where the white fluff landed. "Kuroba," he inquired calmly. "Is it snowing in your bedroom?"

Blue-violet eyes glanced around nervously. "Err, maybe," he admitted.

The other opened his mouth to speak before closing it abruptly. Visions of Kid, Kaito, and Akako's various impossible tricks danced through his head. "Never mind," Saguru said. "I don't want to know."

The detective turned and left the room. He was certain Kuroba would be able to retrieve his homework once he was feeling better.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Did you like it?_

_Please review_

_It makes me a happy writer_


	40. Kaitou

_None of these series are mine_

_Anyone who says otherwise can take it up _

_with the fire breathing kitty_

**Kaitou**

In a small room, out of view of the general public, a small group came together for their monthly gathering. Tons of people had meetings like this. That was normal, these people weren't.

It was unlikely that anyone would stumble across them considering the precautions they took, both separately and together. Still, if a police officer had walked in at that moment, he or she would end up needing to be rushed to the hospital and treated for a series of consecutive heart attacks.

You see, these people were all thieves, not just any thieves either, kaitou. They were not doing anything overly nefarious, just talking shop and playing poker. Though truly, it was more a competition to see who was the most skilled at cheating. The group had raised it to an art form.

Dark Mousey was actually half of the spirit of a powerful artwork. He had four hundred plus years of experience. The Kaitou Kid and Saint Tail were both magicians. As for Sinbad and Jeanne, they were both agents of a higher power, enough said.

"I still can't believe you return what you steal," Dark groused. "It just seems wrong."

Kid shrugged. "I have my reasons."

None of the others asked what they were. It was unprofessional. Personally, Saint Tail didn't think she was in a position to criticize. After all, she stole from other thieves to return the property to its rightful owner. It is doubtful the other two even heard the conversation. They were busy watching each other.

"Not to mention," the white clad thief continued. "We have had this conversation before." Kid smirked, raising his gaze from his hand. "What is wrong Dark? I almost think you are stalling."

Violet eyes flashed. "Never!" and the game continued.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Hope this one was all right_

_I don't know that much about _

_some of the other characters_

_Please review_


	41. Lessons

_I do not own Magic Kaitou_

_This one is in the Kuroba 'Verse_

**Lessons**

Two pairs of intelligent eyes watched the small boy carefully as he tested his wings for the first time. They were ready to step in if it became necessary.

Kaito was so excited. He had just turned five and his Father and Grandfather had finally agreed to teach him how to fly. It was harder than it looked.

Aakesh laughed when a small breeze knocked the boy off balance, forcing him into an impromptu landing. The youkai had witnessed scenes like this many times throughout his long life, but it never got less amusing.

A lower lip was petulantly extended as Kaito scowled. "If I had been higher I coulda caught myself," he muttered.

The youkai swooped down to crouch beside the child before lightly tapping his grandson on the nose. "And if you hadn't my little fledgling? A fall from this height might be embarrassing," he chided him. "But it won't hurt you."

"Your Grandfather is right Kaito," Toichi put in. "Remember when you were younger. You had to learn to walk before you could run."

Frustration shown in the boy's breathtaking blue-violet orbs. Why couldn't he do it? They made it look so effortless. Half-heartedly Kaito kicked a nearby rock. "I bet you never had these problems Otousan."

The youngest member of the Kuroba Clan found himself pressed against his Grandfather's chest. "I wouldn't be so sure," Aakesh purposely ignored Toichi's frantic signals to abort the subject.

"I recall when your Father was first learning to fly. He got the brilliant idea if he climbed a tree and jumped, he would have a better chance."

Innocent eyes looked up at the youkai in curiosity. "Did it work?"

A chuckle escaped Aakesh's throat. "Oh it worked perfectly. Right up until Toichi ran face first into another tree. Fortunately," he added. "I was there to catch him."

Kaito whipped his head around to stare at his Father in shock. Otousan had hit a tree? "You didn't," he blurted.

Toichi meanwhile was applying every bit of his training to keep himself from blushing. "I did." He reached down to ruffle his son's hair. "Everyone makes mistakes, just give yourself some time."

The winged child slipped out of Aakesh's grasp with a look of renewed determination. He broke into a run. One, two, three, once again Kaito launched himself into the air. He could do this; he was a Kuroba.

The wonders of the open sky were his to explore. Someday, he would fly with all the grace of his ancestors. Kaito spat out the mouthful of leaves he had acquired during his latest crash. Someday, but not today.

_FoaGFoaGFaoG_

_I like this verse_

_I plan on writing another multichapter fic_

_But it is a ways down the list_

_For now I'll have to content myself with this_


	42. Kitty

_MK is not and will never be mine_

_Was rereading some of my old stuff when this jumped out at me_

_It came from a line in DBC or not_

**Kitty**

The Kaitou Kid walked through the dark manor, seemingly relaxed. Of course, the slender figure didn't look like the famous phantom thief. For one, his outfit was about two shades from qualifying as black. Despite what some people thought, Kaito was far from reckless.

One of the key elements of being a magician was to never let the audience know when something goes wrong. That meant being prepared. Long before he put on the white suit, the thief made sure he had a plan for every possible eventuality. Kaito planned his heists weeks, sometimes months in advance.

As he moved unseen through the location of his next target, the kaitou carefully noted where everything was. The video camera's had been easy to manipulate. Lasers, pressure pads, a few secret passages, so far there was nothing here that would require something special.

Kaito tensed when he heard a soft sound. Evidently not everyone was asleep. He turned and promptly froze. _Poker face_, the thief thought desperately to himself. _Remember poker face. _Slowly he raised his hands in front of him taking a few steps backward. "_Good kitty," _he soothed. "_Nice kitty."_

The cougar didn't seem impressed. Kid yelped as two hundred pounds of large cat came barreling towards him. He lunged to one side, narrowly missing the creature's outstretched claws. It was time to go. At least no one was there to witness his humiliating retreat.

Blue eyes glared at the house from the branches of a nearby tree. It was lucky that window had been there. He almost hadn't made it. Plans of revenge started formulating in the thief's mind. Perhaps he should call the police. There was no way it was legal to keep man-eating felines as pets.

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Sorry for the wait_

_I've been busy lately_


	43. Blurred

_I own nothing and no one_

_In this one Shinichi is back in his real body_

_Just assume Ai finally figured out the cure_

**Blurred**

BANG!!

Shinichi froze as Kid's limp form collapsed onto him. The thief had thrown himself in front of the shot, shielding his rival with his own body. The detective hadn't even known the other was there until he acted. He did his best to support the kaitou's weight. With luck the wound wasn't that bad.

The dark haired man had been just as surprised by what had transpired as his prey. He got over it quickly. Shock turned to pleasure and the assassin gave a dark grin. "Well isn't this an unexpected bonus," he laughed. "It seems your luck has finally run out Kid."

The phantom thief struggled to regain his feet, doing his best to protect the other teen. _**"Go to hell Snake!" **_He growled. Behind him Shinichi started. Kid knew this man? What else did the thief know? The detective didn't have time to ponder the questions. There were much more pressing matters.

"You first, and be sure to tell Toichi who sent you." Snake coolly aimed the gun at Kid's heart. This time he wouldn't miss. The boy had slipped through his fingers too many times.

Fortunately he didn't get the chance to fire. Hattori emerged from the shadows behind the gunman. The broken broom handle he had commandeered made a more than adequate weapon. There was a satisfying smack as the impromptu bokken slammed into the back of the man's skull. The man went down like a ton of bricks.

Kid laughed weakly before a grimace flittered across his features and one hand moved down to the wound in his side. The shot had gone through his vest like a knife through butter. _**"Armor piercing rounds," **_he commented thoughtfully. _**"My, my, Snake is getting playful."**_

A half-hearted glare was sent the thief's way. For someone who had just been shot, he was acting way too blasé. Shinichi carefully lowered the other to the ground. "Is that why you did it?" he asked.

The kaitou shook his head. _**"I would have done it anyway," **_he stated_**. "No matter my reasons, when all is said and done, I am just a thief."**_ _You are more important than me. _The final words were left unspoken.

Not that it mattered; Shinichi didn't need to hear them to understand what the magician meant. "That is not true," he hissed forcefully. If not for the fact the other was hurt, the detective would have shaken him so hard his teeth rattled. Did the thief really place such a low value on his own life?

Kid just smirked. _**"Sorry tantei-kun but this is one argument you cannot win." **_His head lulled to one side as he lost the fight with black spots that had been trying to overwhelm his vision since the bullet had entered his body. The thief had known it was coming. He would deal with the consequences when he woke up.

The two detectives almost had a panic attack before they realized the thief was still breathing. Kid was alive, and so were they. It wouldn't be long now before the police arrived. After that . . .

Shinichi's grip tightened as he looked down on the white-clad figure held in his arms. When had the line between right and wrong become so blurred? Things had used to be so simple. Then again, nothing was ever simple around the Kaitou Kid.

The detective made his choice. Shinichi looked up at his friend, "help me, we need to get him out of here." The magician had saved his life, not for the first time either. It was time and past he repaid him.

Hattori stared a moment before his eyes hardened. He nodded in agreement. When the officers arrived on the scene, only Snake was present. The two tantei and the phantom thief they had chosen to protect were long gone.

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_I've been playing with this idea for a while_

_I finally just gave in and wrote it down_

_Remember, reviews make me a happy writer_


	44. Vengeance

_I do not own Magic Kaitou_

_Please don't sue_

_A darker interpretation of Kaito's refusal to kill_

**Vengeance**

"I disagree," a clear voice spoke up. "Choosing the path of justice does not necessarily mean foregoing vengeance."

The class turned to face Kaito. Some of his opinions could be a little out there, but he always had something to back them up. One pair of eyes looked more concerned than curious. Just what did the magician mean? Hakuba wondered.

"Justice is the satisfaction of knowing you did the right thing," Kaito continued. "That knowing your actions have insured no one else will be hurt the way they hurt others." That was what detectives like Kudo and Hattori did every day. The thief knew deep down he wasn't that kind.

"Any idiot can pick up a gun," Kaito sneered. "That isn't vengeance, that is just lowering yourself to their level." Besides, the magician thought to himself. There were far worse things than death.

Brilliant blue eyes froze over, becoming cold as ice. "Vengeance is _destroying_ the ones who caused you harm," he hissed. "To make them hurt the way you hurt. To take what matters most to them."

The class shivered as they listened to the magician's words. Who was this creature wearing Kaito's face? What had he done with the smiling young man they saw every day?

"To watch as their hopes and dreams turn to ash around them and they know they have lost everything. That is true vengeance." Kaito looked forward to the day the Black Organization faced the consequences of their actions. He would make sure it happened, no matter what it took.

Smack! A slender hand whacked into the back of the magician's head, breaking the spell that had settled over the small room. "Stop scaring our classmates Kaito!" the young woman scolded her best friend.

The brunette smirked. "But Aoko," he whined. "They always have the best reactions."

The class relaxed at that, several of them letting out deep breaths. Kaito was just being Kaito. All but one, Hakuba just stared at the thief, as though the other's secrets would come to him unbidden.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_I must apologize _

_Once again I am abandoning you all for the summer in_

_favor of the deep woods so don't expect updates_

_I am taking my writing notebooks though_

_so there will be a bunch to post when I get back_


	45. Limits

_Hello everyone, I'm back and have lots of stuff to update. I'll try to get it all up as soon as possible but I don't intend to kill myself typing. Hope you enjoy._

_-peppymint_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one._

**Limits**

Hakuba froze as the pistol moved in line with his head. The blond wasn't quite certain how this situation had come about. One moment it had been a normal heist, the next it had turned into a free for all.

Naturally the Task Force had taken their prey's side. The phantom thief was an annoyance true, but he was their annoyance. The officers didn't want him dead. Plus, Kid was nonviolent; he didn't kill. From the number of bullets flying through the air, it was obvious this group did.

The detective's predicament caused a sudden halt to the fighting, individual skirmishes dropping off as everyone stilled. Well, almost everyone. A single click echoed over the rooftop.

Kid had taken the opportunity to scoop up one of the disguarded weapons, which he pointed unerringly at the cold-eyed figure. _"Drop it Snake,"_ he ordered. The thief didn't allow any of his concern for the tantei to leak into his voice. He couldn't afford to show any weakness, no matter how slight.

A laugh escaped the assassin's throat then. "Or else what?" he mocked. "We both know you won't kill me. You don't have the guts." There was no doubt in Snake's mind he was right.

Something flickered in the magician's expression. He had a choice to make, and he had made it. Everything happened very quickly, just a slight change in aim and a pull of a trigger.

Snake howled in pain as he clutched what remained of his right kneecap, his gun falling uselessly to the ground. He looked up at his long time target in disbelief. "You, you shot me."

The kaitou's aim didn't waver, his eyes meeting the others firmly. _"You killed my Father. Tell me assassin, which of us has the greater grievance?" _ _Don't push me; _his final words were left unspoken.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_This one was along the same vein as __**Snap.**_

_Don't worry; there will be a bunch of funny stuff later. _

_This one was just first on the list._


	46. Courtesy

_Still don't own Magic Kaitou_

_Xover with DNAngel_

**Courtesy**

The violet-eyed thief whorled as he caught a flash of white out of the corner of his eye, instinctively dropping into a defensive position. That color usually heralded the arrival of his homicidal other half. This time though, it didn't. He paused, examining the other a moment before straightening. "Kaitou Kid isn't it?" The dark clad figure identified his guest. "I've heard of you."

"_And you would be the Phantom Thief Dark Mousey," _the magician responded in kind. _"I've heard of you as well."_ He approached the edge of the roof on silent feet, observing the scene below. The officers were running around like chickens with their heads cut off. "_No offense," _Kid commented. _"But your taskforce is pathetic."_

Dark grinned broadly. "None taken," he assured him; it was the truth after all. He moved to stand beside the younger kaitou. Satoshi was the only truly competent one of the lot, and he wasn't there. Though maybe that was a bad thing. The darker half of the Kokuyoko preferred to have the Hikari where he could keep an eye on him. After a moment the thief turned to face the other. "Why are you here?" he asked. The black angel doubted it was mere curiosity.

Kid shrugged. _"Professional courtesy mostly. I am planning my next heist in Azumano and thought I should inform you. This is your town after all,"_ he acknowledged. Kaitou in general tended to be possessive and the teen doubted Dark was the exception.

"And if I say no?" The angel inquired lightly.

A smirk flashed across Kid's features. _"Then I'd do it anyway."_ Likewise, no phantom thief dealt with authority well, any authority.

Dark laughed at that. The Kaitou Kid was clearly a kindred spirit. It had been a long time since he had had a real friend outside the Niwa, but this could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

"_I'll even bring my taskforce," _the magician sweetened the deal. He gestured towards the men below. _"They can show those lack wits how it's done."_ Inspector Nakamori would be appalled if he could see, and rightly so.

"Sounds fun," Dark commented, eyes sparkling. "I'll be there." Something off in the distance caught his attention, causing the smile to drop off the black angel's face as though it had never been. "Now if you'll excuse me, my true hunter approaches." He paused, glancing back over his shoulder at the other. "You might want to take cover," he advised. Raven wings spread wide and the kaitou launched himself into the air, ignoring the officers' cries.

"Dark!" Krad screamed as he released an orb of burning white energy. It slammed into a decorative fountain, completely obliterating the structure.

The black angel turned to smirk at his fuming counterpart. "You missed Kraddy-kins."

Golden eyes grew cold, err colder. "Then I'll just have to try harder," and the chase was on.

Kid whistled softly as he emerged from his hiding place in the shadows, sharp eyes observing the damage. Suddenly Snake didn't seem quite so bad.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Dark is such a cool character_

_I really should do more with him someday_


	47. Child

_Still don't own Detective Conan_

_So many people pick on Mouri, including me,_

_I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt just this once_

**Child**

Another day, another murder, as per usual Conan was right in the thick of things. How the meitantei longed for the days he could question the suspects himself instead of digging into dark corners and eavesdropping on the officers as they went about their jobs. Now who had done it? His train of thought was interrupted when a closed fist smashed into the back of his head.

Boink! The force of the hit was carefully calculated. It was hard enough to hurt, but not to cause harm. "Get out of the way you little brat," the detective grabbed the boy's arm, hauling him to one side before releasing him.

Conan glared as he rubbed the back of his head, grumbling under his breath. If the shrunken tantei had looked back, he might have seen the concern in Mouri's dark eyes, but he didn't.

The older man's jaw clenched as he watched his impromptu ward go. If he ever got the chance he could happily deck Conan's parents. What kind of people just up and left their kid like that? What kind of upbringing had the boy had? Fury rose in the detective's gut every time he contemplated the situation.

Conan was only six years old. He shouldn't be exposed to things like this. Mouri got chills every time those cool eyes examined a murder victim, devoid of the horror that should be there. It wasn't fair.

That was why the older man hit him. He didn't care if Conan hated him if only the kid got away. It was worth it. A crime scene was no place for a child, no matter how intelligent they were.

_FoaGFaoGFaoG_

_As always, please review_


	48. Delivery

_I do not own Magic Kaitou_

_If I did there would be more than 4 volumes_

_This one is actually an out of sequence scene from SoaG_

_Thanks to _66ButterflyOfDarkness99 for the inspiration

**Delivery**

"Hey guys I have the chips," Keiko cried out. There was a chorus of resounding cheers as the group of young men and women dug in. The sound of laughter filled the house.

A pair of intelligent golden eyes watched it all. Hakuba wasn't in the habit of throwing parties, but this time he had made an exception. He was hoping it would cheer Aoko up. The wild-haired girl had been a bit down of late, not that he blamed her. From what the detective could see, it was working.

To be honest, Hakuba had to admit he had been feeling depressed as well. He missed the challenge presented by the Kaitou Kid. He missed the other's daytime persona as well. Somehow the blond had never realized just what a large part of his life Kuroba had become, and now the magician was gone.

The detective's musings were cut short by a knock on the door. Now who could that be? Hakuba wondered. Everyone was here already. He rose to answer it.

A man only a few years older than the blond was standing on the doorstep. The delivery man looked up from his clipboard. "Saguru Hakuba?" he inquired.

Puzzled, the tantei nodded only to find the clipboard thrust into his arms.

"Sign here please."

A faint from appeared on his features as Hakuba did so. He hadn't been expecting a package. The detective froze when he got a good look at the front of the manila envelope. It was from Kuroba. Quickly, he tore open the package and began to read. Saguru's already pale complexion grew whiter and whiter the further he got into the document.

"Hakuba-kun," Aoko's concerned voice put in. "Are you all right?" The other was starting to look quite ill.

The blond looked up from the comprehensive evaluation Kaito had sent him regarding the security system surrounding England's crown jewels with a dazed expression. "No," he murmured at last. "I don't think I am." Then, his eyes rolled up in the back of his head and Hakuba fainted. He hit the ground with an audible thump.

Aoko gave a small cry of dismay, rushing to check on her friend. As for Akako, the sorceress just cackled in the background regarding her new photographs with admiration. So that was why Lucifer had told her to bring a camera.

_FoaGSoaGFoaG_

_Please review_

_Any flames will be returned by my kitty-cat_

_I think she has some dragon blood_


	49. Reasons

_I own neither Detective Conan or Magic Kaitou_

_Sequel to Meetings_

**Reasons**

The two young men sitting at opposite ends of the small table could have easily been mistaken for twins. They were practically mirror images of each other. The pair had the same brown hair, the same blue eyes. Their features weren't all they shared either. Calling them geniuses was certainly accurate. If anything, it was understating the case.

Thiers was an interesting friendship to be sure. Shinichi knew the magician was the Kaitou Kid. Kaito knew Shinichi knew he was the Kaitou Kid, but neither of them had physical proof. As long as nothing was ever said outright, they were both safe. That didn't stop the friends from alluding to the subject though. It was just one of the games they played.

"I have to wonder," the detective said softly. "If you will ever tell me why." The better he got to know the other, the less sense his actions made. Why had the other done it? Shinichi probably could have figured it out, but he didn't want to invade the magician's privacy.

Kaito looked up from the chessboard, an oddly serious look on his normally cheerful face. "Will you ever ask?" His reply was equally quiet.

Slowly Shinichi shook his head. If his friend ever wanted to tell him, he would. Until then, he would wait.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_This one was short even by my standards_

_Oh well, what happens happens_


	50. Memories

_I own no one and nothing_

_Oh my god, drabble fifty_

_I almost can't believe it_

**Memories**

Idly, the detective of the east flipped through the photo album. It was all there, fifty years of life. Impressive for a man who once wasn't sure if he'd live to see eighteen.

Shinichi marveled at the picture of his parents holding a blue swathed infant. He was so tiny. It was difficult to believe he had ever been that small.

It also held the tantei's childhoods, both of them. He had been unwilling just to sweep Conan under the rug, to pretend the boy had never existed. Those years had formed an important part of who Shinichi was. Ironically, he had had to go back in order to move forward.

His marriage, Heiji stood at his side in the position of best man. His friend looked especially smug. Evidently the Osaken had won a large sum of money when he and Ran tied the knot. That was okay, Shinichi had gotten the other detective back a few years later.

The births of his children, watching as they got bigger and bigger as the years went by. Eventually getting married, having kids of their own. He was incredibly proud of all of them.

There was even a blurry photo of the Kaitou Kid. The moonlight magician waved cheerfully as he made his escape via hang glider. It still stung a little that he had never caught the phantom thief. It was one of his only failures. Still, he wished the other the best, wherever he was.

A smile crossed the tantei's face as he contemplated the path his life had taken. Great friends, a woman he adored, it shouldn't be possible for one man to be so lucky.

"Shinichi," Ran's voice called. "Your grandson found another body."

The detective sighed as he rose to his feet, the smile disappearing. Now that was one thing he wished his descendants hadn't inherited. That was the second one this week.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Please review _


	51. Wonder

_Magic Kaitou is not my property_

_Mores the pity_

**Wonder**

Ginzo Nakamori was not a genius. He knew he wasn't a genius. He had other attributes that made up for it: determination, morals, stubbornness, an extremely strong work ethic. However, he wasn't an idiot either. No one rose to the position he had without possessing some measure of brains.

Despite the inspector's protests to the contrary, he knew full well the thief he had been chasing for the past few years was not the original. Oh, it had nothing to do with that Hakuba kid's fancy machines, or the other's seemingly unchanged appearance. He knew the Kaitou Kid. Ginzo saw the slight differences in style this new Kid possessed.

It was obvious the two Kids were connected. How the inspector wasn't quite sure, perhaps an apprentice, a friend, a son. Nakamori also wasn't blind to the bullets that flew in the magician's direction every so often, or that the kaitou was running some sort of search pattern.

A sick feeling settled in the policeman's gut as he contemplated what had happened to his old adversary. He seriously doubted the other was still among the living. What had happened? Ginzo wondered to himself. What had gone wrong? A small voice in the back of his head asked why the thief hadn't come to him for help.

Unfortunately the one person who had the answers didn't seem inclined to talk. Dark eyes hardened. The game wasn't so fun anymore. Somehow it had become deadly serious. "Run Kid," the inspector whispered to the empty room. "But rest assured I'll follow." He would just have to wait and see where the kaitou led him.

_FoaGFoaGFaoG_

_I have to wonder what Nakamori is thinking sometimes_

_Hope this was a good glimpse into our favorite inspector's mind_


	52. Aura

_Still don't own Magic Kaitou_

_What else is new?_

_Anyway, here we have the next installment of the Kuroba 'Verse_

_See my profile if you don't remember what that is_

_Kaito and Aoko's meeting with a unique twist_

**Aura**

Kaito stared at the young girl standing in front of the clock tower. She appeared to be about his age. One of the reasons his family was such a great judge of character was that they saw more than most, literally, and the other had such a pretty aura. Different shades of blue swirled around her core in ever changing patterns. He couldn't help but be drawn to her.

Reading auras was a skill, and one the young hybrid excelled at. He could tell at a glance that the other was kind, and brave, with a bit of a temper. A frown crossed his face, but she looked so sad.

This wouldn't do. Kaito had left all his conventional magic equipment at home. Still, there was something. The magician reached into the spaces between, just like his Father had taught him, reaching for the rose he had been practicing with earlier.

It sprouted from his fingers before her amazed sapphire eyes and the boy smiled at her look of amazement. "Hi," he greeted. "I'm Kaito Kuroba. Want to be friends?"

The oddest expression crossed his Father's face when Kaito introduced his new playmate, but the older man said nothing. It wasn't until years later that his son realized just what Toichi had been thinking that day.

_KVKVKVKVKV_

_On another note, I hate technology_

_I was going to upload a bunch of new drabbles onto the manycases1truth livejournal community, but something is messed up in the posting area and I don't know how to fix it_

_Maybe I should set up an insanejournal account instead_


	53. Judgment

_I do not own Magic Kaitou_

_Here we have another Kuroba 'Verse fic_

_Ties in with Aura, read that first_

**Judgment**

A sense of contentment washed over the British detective as he gathered up his school supplies. It had been a good day. Even Kuroba seemed relaxed, refraining from his usual tricks. Which was just fine with Hakuba considering he tended to be one of the brunette's more popular targets. The blond was about to leave when one of his female classmates burst into the room, dragging a confused looking young man behind her.

"Kaito," she greeted cheerfully. The girl practically shoved her companion in front of the magician. "This is Ken," she introduced the other. "We're going out tonight."

The afore mentioned Ken tried not to squirm as Kaito's gaze focused on him. Those blue-violet eyes were intense. It was like they could see right through him. If asked, the young man would have sworn he had no secrets from the other.

Then the moment was over and the magician smiled. "Have fun," he told her. "Where are you going? The movies?"

The young woman also smiled, seeming pleased. "The food court actually. We're just grabbing dinner." After a bit more casual conversation she said her good-byes and left, date in tow.

Baffled, Hakuba turned to Keiko. "What was that about?" he asked.

Keiko blinked, surprised by the question. Then her eyes lit up in realization. "Oh," she said. "We all bring our dates to see Kaito-kun."

The detective just stared at her. This didn't compute. Why would they ask another boy's opinion? It boggled the mind.

"He is a great judge of character," the young woman responded to his unspoken question. Keiko looked down, unconsciously twisting her fingers. "You know Umino-san, from 4C?"

Hakuba nodded.

"Kaito saved her life once."

The detective choked. "What?!" he gasped.

"It was two years ago," Keiko continued softly. "Umino-san was at the mall and this guy was flirting with her. He wanted her to go with him." The young woman looked back up. "Kaito-kun stopped her. He convinced Umino-san not to go." She swallowed hard, looking a bit green. "We found out later that the man, that he . . ."

She couldn't finish, but Hakuba got the general idea. "The movies," he repeated thoughtfully. "It's code, isn't it?"

Keiko nodded. "It means he is a normal teenage boy, ruled by his hormones." Basically it was Kaito warning the girl not to get talked into anything she didn't want.

For a moment the detective was silent. "And me?" he asked at last. Though to be honest, Hakuba wasn't sure he wanted to know.

It was at this point that Akako leaned over. Her uniform outlined the curves of the sorceress's breasts perfectly. "He doesn't think much of our taste in men," she purred. "But you have his blessing."

The blond swallowed hard. Maybe he didn't want Kuroba's blessing. It seemed far safer without it.

_KVKVKVKV_

_Who decided notebook pages should tear out anyway?_

_If I don't type the rest of this page quick I might lose it_


	54. Normality

_I do not own Detective Conan or any of its characters_

**Normality**

"Conan-kun, come play with us," Ayumi waved cheerfully from her place among the other detective boys. They were building a sand castle. The shrunken meitantei shook his head before continuing his walk down the beach. Maybe he would go over later. Right now though, he just couldn't. Shinichi had no idea how Ai put up with all the little kiddy games without losing her mind.

Then again, the former black org. operative probably hadn't had much of a childhood to begin with. Shinichi doubted the syndicate got together for Saturday night board games. A mental flash of Gin huddled over a candyland board almost prompted a smile.

A cool breeze ruffled the detective's hair and he tilted his head back, letting the light from the sun warm his face. For the moment, he allowed his worries to evaporate. It really was a beautiful day. The kind of day when it seemed nothing could go wrong. For a few minutes Shinichi just stood there, enjoying a rare moment of peace.

Sharp eyes snapped back open at the sound of a scream. A pale-faced woman was staring horrified at something he couldn't quite make out. The object was wrapped in seaweed. The detective sighed as he made his way towards the scene. Normality was restored.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Just my mandatory dose of Conan_

_Every so often I look through my stuff and determine_

_it has been to long since he appeared_


	55. Phantom

_No matter how much I wish it otherwise_

_Magic Kaitou and Detective Conan do not belong to me_

_Happy Halloween everyone_

**Phantom**

It was appropriate that the Kaitou Kid's last heist took place on Halloween. The holiday was a day filled with magic, with wonder and fear, a day for the living, and for the dead.

Things were not going well, not well at all. All thoughts of capturing the elusive phantom thief had gone right out the window. Kid grabbed Nakamori's right arm and pulled hard, yanking the older man out of the path of a bullet. The inspector nodded his thanks.

A grim smile crossed Kudo's face as he evaluated the situation. "Even if they kill us all," he commented. "We've still won. Not even the Black Organization will be able to cover this up."

The Kaitou Kid snorted before shaking his head disapprovingly. _"So pessimistic tantei-kun,"_ he chided. _"If I had that kind of attitude our friends in black would have succeeded in offing me years ago."_

Hakuba opened his mouth to demand just what the thief meant by that only to throw himself flat as yet another bullet whipped over his head. They could talk about that later, if there was a later.

Suddenly, a chill spread over the area, raising goose bumps on everyone's arms. Nakamori couldn't prevent himself from shivering. "Do you feel that?" he asked the others softly. Something was happening.

A booming, familiar laugh followed the wave, causing everyone to look at the kaitou in their midst. Kid's attention was on something else. Between the two groups stood a white-clad figure. His form shimmered, giving the man an almost translucent appearance.

_"Father,"_ the thief's shocked whisper barely reached the taskforce's ears.

Snake's reaction was not so silent. "You!" he shouted pointing at the man in shock. "But you're dead. I killed you."

The first Kaitou Kid just grinned. _**"So you did,"**_ he agreed pleasantly. _**"But is this not Hallows Eve? The one night spirits are free to walk the earth?"**_ The expression on Toichi's face turned nasty_**. "We have long overdue business to discuss assassin, and I'm not the only one."**_

Then they appeared, men, woman, white, black, young, old. They had nothing in common; they had everything in common. Each and every one of them were dead, and all at the hands of the Black Organization. As one, the horde of ghosts descended on their killers.

"Traitor," one former officer hissed. "You took the same vows I did. I promised my Mom I would be home for dinner. I was going to get married. How could you do this to me, to us? I thought you were my friend." The tirade went on and on. They had been helpless once; they were not helpless now.

When it was over the members of the Black Organization lay unconscious where they had fallen. It would be days before some of them would awaken, and none of them would ever be quite the same.

The apparition approached the taskforce on silent feet. _**"Nakamori-keibu," **_he bowed slightly, greeting his old adversary. A pair of piercing blue eyes moved past the officer's to another figure. Toichi stepped forward, reaching up to touch his son's face. _**"You've grown. I'm sorry I wasn't there to see it."**_

_"Don't be," _Kaito choked. _"It wasn't your fault."_

The ghost didn't entirely agree, but he let the matter stand. _**"So what will you do now?" **_he asked.

_"I'm not sure," _the younger thief admitted, heedless of their audience._ "The only reason I became Kid was to see justice for your death." _He ignored the sharp inhalations that revelation caused. _"But," _Kaito continued. _"My work isn't finished yet."_

Toichi just gave the other an enigmatic smile. _**"Is it not my son?" **_Then, he faded away.

Kaito followed his Father's gaze to the gemstone he held in his hand. It was glowing an eerie red under the moonlight. A burst of laughter emerged from his throat then, and if a few tears ran down the thief's cheeks, no one saw fit to mention it.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Hope you liked it_

_I used Toichi's name because it got confusing trying _

_to switch between the two Kids_

_As always, any comments are appreciated._


	56. Offer

_I only wish I owned Magic Kaitou_

**Offer**

It had been about six months since the Kaitou Kid's official retirement. Unofficial was another story. The taskforce knew he was still active. For one, a number of previously stolen pieces had all been mysteriously returned to their proper owners. For another, the phantom thief had an annoying tendency to drop in on them from time to time.

This was one of those times. Kaito was surprised when the usual reaction, i.e. dog pile on the bandit did not occur. Instead Inspector Nakamori just looked up from his desk and smiled.

"Ahh good," Ginzo said. "You're here. Now don't move." He turned his attention back to the desk, ruffling through the drawers in search of a certain piece of paper.

The magician knew following that order was an incredibly bad idea, but his curiosity kept him in place. At least, it would as long as the other officers maintained their distance.

"Here it is!" the inspector exclaimed. He handed it to his adversary with a lack of fanfare.

Kaito's jaw almost dropped when he saw what it was, a full pardon. Was this some sort of joke? He looked at Nakamori questioningly.

"Your talents are wasted as a thief," the head of the Kaitou Kid Taskforce explained. "We would much rather you came and worked for us." That would be impossible with a criminal record, hence the pardon. By this time, most of the officers at least had vague suspicions about the magician's motivations, even if they didn't know the specifics.

Now Kaito's jaw did drop. "But," he stuttered. "But what about school?" He still had a couple years before he would be finished with his degree. Almost immediately the thief could have kicked himself. He couldn't believe he had just said that.

A pair of dark eyes narrowed. Ginzo was not at all pleased with the implications of that question. "How old are you?" the inspector demanded.

The slender figure shifted a bit. "Older than Fujii," he claimed a bit defensively. Rei Fujii was the rookie of the group at a mere eighteen years of age.

Nakamori's eyes narrowed further. "Older than Hakuba?"

"Err." In truth, the detective was older than him.

The inspector shot to his feet. "You," he ordered pointing at a nearby chair. "Sit!"

Almost without realizing it, the magician thief did so.

"What the #!$^$! Were you thinking?!" Ginzo shouted. For the next hour he reamed the much younger man up one end and down the other, not that it did much good. Kid had switched with a dummy not five minutes into the rant. The inspector wasn't pleased about that either.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Flames will be returned ten fold by the fire-breathing kitty_

_Other than that all reviews are welcome_


	57. Favor

_I own neither Magic Kaitou or DNAngel_

_Semi-sequel to Courtesy_

**Favor**

"Kid stop."

Hearing those words at one of the phantom thief's heists was not an unusual occurrence. What happened next was. The kaitou did so. A full half of the taskforce tripped over their own feet at that, or they would have if they had been in a position to do so. The officers were a bit tied up. Their adversary was in fine form tonight.

The magician looked up at the shadowed figure. "_What is it?"_ he asked.

"The necklace," the other kaitou replied. "I need it."

Kid hissed. _"It's one of yours." _Unlike most of the world, he was well aware of the service Dark Mousey preformed by sealing the Hikari artworks away. They were dangerous.

"I'll owe you a favor," the black angel added.

The younger kaitou started to say that wasn't necessary before pausing. Dark had been active a very long time. It was quite possible the other knew something about the Pandora Gem.

_"Actually," _Kid said slowly. _"There is something." _His eyes flickered to the nearby taskforce. _"But this is hardly the place to discuss it."_

Dark nodded. "Race you to where we had dinner last week!" he shouted as he leapt off the building, calling his familiar to him as he fell. "Loser is jailbait!"

_"Hey_!" the magician yelped as he moved to follow. _"Cheating on behalf of the magical being."_

The darker half of the Black Wings just laughed. "Kaitou don't cheat," he cheerfully yelled back. "We merely take advantage of our assets."

A sly grin crossed Kid's face. In that case, his friend could hardly object to him using his own brand of magic. This competition wasn't lost yet, not by a long shot.

It was at this point that the Kaitou Dark Taskforce burst into the room, Satoshi at the head. Not that they got very far, having promptly triggered the other half of the magician thief's traps. No, it was not a good day to be a police officer.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Another day, another drabble_

_I just wish I had more time to work on my hobbies_


	58. Fears

_I do not own Magic Kaitou_

_Yet another addition to the Kuroba 'verse_

_Kaito is only four or five in this one_

**Fears**

A giggle escaped the young boy's throat as the breeze playfully ruffled his hair. The sand felt good between his bare toes, warm and squishy. In spite of the fact it was a beautiful day the beach was deserted, save for Kaito and his family. He lifted a large seashell to his ear, listening intently for the sound of the sea; but that was not what he heard.

_"Come,"_ a sweet female voice echoed through the young hybrid's mind_. "Come to me little one."_

Blue-violet eyes glazed over and the shell dropped from suddenly nerveless fingers. Unthinkingly Kaito took a step closer to the water.

_"I will show you wonders you could never imagine," _the stranger promised. _"Now come."_

Cold seawater splashed against the child's ankles, but he paid it no mind. Kaito didn't even feel it. He took another step, sinking up to his knees.

_"Come," _she commanded.

Then Toichi was there. Strong arms wrapped around his son, dragging the youngest Kuroba out of the water. "Kaito?" his voice was concerned. "Musuko can you hear me?" The whole area reeked of foreign magic.

Kaito blinked, life returning to his gaze. He looked around confused. What had happened? He couldn't remember.

A scream of rage echoed over the water and the sky began to darken. Water swirled around the beautiful figure that had risen from the waves. The siren's face was twisted into a mask of hatred and her red eyes burned. _"Give him to me!" _she snarled.

Kaito trembled, power was radiating off the woman in waves. The boy freely admitted, that at that moment, he was terrified. He tightened his grip on his Father.

"No," Toichi's refusal was instant and unwavering. His blue eyes narrowed and he drew his own power around him like a cloak. He would fight if he had to. This creature would not have his son.

The siren was not impressed. She laughed; it was not a pretty sound. _"You don't honestly think you can take me half-breed."_

Smoothly Aakesh slid in front of his grandsons, dropping his disguise along with any pretenses of mortality. "Even if he can't Aripra, I know I can." It had been many years since he had seen the other, but he hadn't forgotten her. It was true the children she took had happy lives. Until that is she grew bored of them, at which time they found themselves trying to breath water, an impossible, and quickly fatal task for any human. Energy gathered in a dark orb that crackled at the youkai's fingertips. "Now why don't you crawl back into whatever hole you came out of."

Aripra hissed, moving back. She had known the boy carried youkai blood, that was what had drawn her to him. But, the siren had no idea he was so well protected, she also knew she did not have the power to challenge Aakesh directly. A low snarl emerged from ruby lips and her gaze moved past the raven to Kaito_. "Another day little bird,"_ she promised. _"This isn't over." _Then she turned and dived, disappearing back into the ocean's depths.

The next time he saw a fish Kaito absolutely freaked. It didn't matter that it was just a small animal that couldn't possibly do him any harm. All he could see was Aripra's burning red eyes. Eyes the color of blood.

_KVKVKVKV_

_I always thought it was weird that someone like Kaito is afraid of fish_

_I figured there had to be a reason, so here it is_

_If you want to see a picture of Aripra, check out my journals_

_And as always, please review_

_It makes me a happy person_

_On another note, finals are over_

_(Cheers)_

_At least until next term_


	59. Lies

_I do not own Magic Kaitou_

_Kuroba 'Verse_

_Anyone with secrets cannot avoid being a liar_

**Lies**

Ginzo watched his daughter's best friend with concern. It had been less than a year since Toichi's death, and he knew the boy was far from over it, no matter how much Kaito smiled. Any queries as to his well-being were answered with the standard _I'm fine._

Hence the trip to this temple, the police inspector hoped it would help the kid put his Father's ghost to rest. The dark-eyed man wasn't sure if it was working, but both children seemed fascinated by the intricate carvings on the stone steps leading up to the shrine. He sighed in exasperation, and speaking of children, where had they gone? Ginzo wasn't that concerned. How much trouble could they possibly get into here?

Else ware, a pair of lively blue-violet eyes darted from left to right. It hadn't been overly difficult to slip away. Any magician, even one as young as he was, were masters of making people look where they wanted. Once Kaito was satisfied he was alone, he focused on object of his interest.

A series of bright energy lines were running through the building. The young hybrid had never seen anything like them before in his life. Kaito's reaction was like that of any other curious child. He reached out to touch them. There was a sizzling sound and the scent of burned flesh filled the air. The brunette stumbled backwards with a yelp, sticking the injured digits into his mouth.

"Kaito?" Aoko stuck her head around the building, eyes widening in concern. "Dad!" she called. "Kaito's hurt."

The police inspector was there almost instantly. Gently, he pulled the boy's fingers out of his mouth, examining the injury. "What happened?" he asked softly.

Kaito bit his lip, mind working frantically. He needed an explanation and he needed one fast. He certainly couldn't tell them the truth. His family had drilled the need to keep his true nature a secret into him from a very young age. Inspiration struck as the magician's gaze settled on the candles he had accidentally knocked over when he had fallen. "I burned myself," the boy murmured sheepishly.

Across the courtyard, a monk was staring at Kaito with the oddest expression on his face. Determinedly, he started towards them, causing the young hybrid to tense. The man was filled with the same kind of energy that was on the buildings.

"Can we go home now?" Kaito asked. He allowed a few tears to fall, purely for effect. "It hurts," he wasn't lying that time. It did hurt, a lot.

Dark eyes softened. "All right," Ginzo nodded agreeably. He swung the boy into his arms, taking off at a brisk pace, mind already on the first aid kit he had in his car. The temple, and the monk, was quickly left behind.

That night Aakesh was horrified when he saw the wounds. So few humans still practiced the old ways he hadn't felt it was necessary to teach his grandson how to defend against them. That had obviously been a mistake. They started lessons on wards that very night.

_KVKVKVKVKV_

_Hope you liked this one_

_The monk may show up again later_

_Assuming I ever manage to write "Raven Wings"_


	60. Pain

_I don't own Magic Kaitou_

_Sniff, what a bummer_

**Pain**

A low hiss of pain escaped the magician's lips as his arm gave an unpleasant throb. It hurt. That by itself wasn't a great surprise. Kaito had known that it would. But, he hadn't expected it to hurt quite this much.

Gently, the phantom thief cleaned the cut with an antiseptic cloth. It wouldn't do for it to get infected. This was hardly the first time Kaito had ever been hurt. Everyone acquires a few bumps and bruises throughout their lives, no matter how careful they are. He had other scars.

On the surface, the wound didn't look that bad. It was just a shallow gash that ran a few inches across the teenager's upper arm. With luck, in a few months the thing would be almost invisible. Really, the only unusual thing about the injury was its origin.

Kaito had been shot. Intellectually he had known it was only a matter of time before it happened. Sooner or later one of the bullets had been bound to hit its target. Still, no matter how much it hurt, the magician thief knew he had been very lucky. It could have been much worse. If he hadn't been wearing a vest he would have been dead.

Slender fingers traced the wound, a serious look on the young man's face. Kaito had known what he was getting into when he started this, the risk that he was taking. It was quite possible that they would succeed in killing him one day. When it came down to it, the pain was nothing, simply a reminder that he was still alive.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Not my best_

_I'll try to do better next time_


	61. Cooperation

_I do not own Magic Kaitou or Detective Conan_

**Cooperation**

"_I have a proposition for you tantei-kun."_

Those were the words that had changed Shinichi Kudo's life (again) almost a year and a half ago. When running various scenarios through his head, the possibility that the Kaitou Kid would approach him and suggest an alliance in regards to taking down the Black Organization had never occurred to him. That was what happened though.

It hadn't been easy. Shinichi had had to think about it. In the end though, he had agreed. It wasn't as if he had been making that much progress on his own. The arrangement had come with a few conditions though. Kid wanted to work with him, not Haibara, or Dr. Agasa, or even Hattori. Just him.

In return the detective had added a few conditions of his own. No one had been more surprised than him when the thief had agreed. Kid had told him his name, not without hesitation, but he had done it. Slowly trust had built, and then friendship. They were careful when they met to exchange information. Neither one of them could afford to be followed. Fortunately, both of them were skilled at losing a tail.

A pair of temporarily hazel eyes discretely gave the area one last inspection before slipping through a hidden door. His partner was already there. Two glasses of orange juice sat on the small table in front of him.

Kaito looked up and smirked. "You look very cute as a girl tantei-kun," he teased.

"Shove it," Shinichi retorted as he slid the blond wig off his head and removed the contact lenses. Moodily he slid into one of the chairs, directly facing the other. It had not been a good day. There had been two separate murders in addition to a telephone conversation with Ran that had turned into a fight.

Kaito examined him a moment, catching details that many people would miss. "Something wrong Kudo-kun?"

The shrunken detective laughed bitterly. "Nothing new, nothing you can help with."

Slowly the magician nodded. It wasn't too difficult to figuring out what was bothering the other. "Do you ever regret it?" Kaito asked instead. "Getting involved in this?"

Immediately Shinichi shook his head. "I could have started over if I wanted. Forgotten I was anyone other than Conan Edogawa." Sharp eyes focused on his friend's face. "Just like you could have forgotten how your Father really died."

"Never," Kaito hissed. He would never forget. He also knew what the detective was saying between the lines. They had both made their choices, first separately, then together.

There was a moment of silence. "So," Shinichi asked at last. "Any news?"

The thief nodded, straightening in his own chair as they got down to business. "You will be pleased to know your theory was correct," he said softly. "I have located Akai Shuichi, alive and well."

A pleased expression crossed the detectives face. That was excellent news. He had suspected something was amiss from the start. It was unlike the competent FBI agent to walk into a trap like that, and bodies that had to be identified by their dental records always made him suspicious.

"Time to make our next move then," Shinichi suggested.

Kaito nodded in agreement as he raised his glass. "Whatever it takes," he began their traditional toast.

The detective raised his own glass, clinking them together. "As long as it doesn't cost us our souls."

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Not entirely happy with the dialogue but it works_

_Hope you like it_


	62. Guardian

_I do not own Magic Kaitou_

_Sniff_

**Guardian**

Nakamori stumbled as he caught his foot on the rug. Fortunately, he managed to catch himself before he fell. It had not been a good day. Or perhaps that would be days considering it was now 2:00 in the morning.

It had started out all right, for a Kid heist that is. Of course, that was before the bullets had started flying. It was a miracle no one had been killed. Between chasing the perpetrators, combing the scene for evidence, and filling out the reports, the inspector had just gotten home.

Worst of all, Ginzo still didn't know what had happened to Kid. One of his officers had believed he saw something strike the other, and who knew how badly the thief was injured. His fingers itched for a cigarette but he resisted. His daughter would kill him if she found out.

The inspector groaned when he noticed the flashing light on his answering machine. He just wanted to go to bed. Still, his duty compelled him. It was one of the reasons he was such a good cop. Nakamori hit the button.

_**Message One**__, _a mechanical voice intoned. "Hey dad," Aoko's cheerful voice came over the machine. "Midterms at the University are over and I think I did pretty well. Anyway, I've decided to come home for the weekend. We can go somewhere to celebrate, my treat. Now I gotta go, my roommate is calling."

A brief smile flashed across Ginzo's face. He was so proud of her. His little girl had grown up, and she looked more like her Mother with each passing day.

_**Message Two**__, _"Hello Mr. Gay-zo Nakamoree, I have called to tell you that you may. . ." The police inspector hit the delete key. Telemarketers, he hated telemarketers.

_**Message Three, **__"Good evening inspector," _a well-known voice purred. _"I simply called to inform you that I have reached home safely and," _a pained yelp was transmitted over the phone. _"Was that really necessary?" _Kid snapped at an unknown person.

"Yes it was," came a different voice. "Now hold still, do you want this to get infected? You can play with the inspector later." There was a click as the phone was hung up.

Nakamori laughed softly. At least now he knew Kid was all right. Slowly, Ginzo made his way down the hall and tumbled into bed. He was asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Just another drabble about the relationship between Nakamori and Kid_

_Hope you liked it_


	63. Smitten

_I do not own Magic Kaitou_

_This is just a little drabble in the Kuroba 'Verse in honor of Valentines Day_

_It takes place about a year after my unwritten story Raven Wings_

**Smitten**

The small group of friends sat around a small table. Akako leaned over to whisper something in Hakuba's ear, causing the blond to flush. The mismatched pair had been dating for about three months now. Kaito admitted to himself he thought it a bit odd, a detective firmly grounded in the _real world_ and a witch. Still, they seemed to be happy, and that was all that mattered.

The magician sighed faintly. Honestly, he was a bit jealous. Kaito shot a discrete look at his best friend. He loved Aoko, of course he did. But he wasn't sure if he _loved_ her. They were just too different. There were too many things about him he had never told her. Things the hybrid wasn't sure if she could understand.

Besides, Aoko was currently taken. Her boyfriend Yuki seemed nice enough. Though Kaito had considered it his duty to warn the brunette what would happen to him if he even hurt his friend. The magician suspected Hakuba had had a go as well. Yuki had gone awfully pale when he saw the other waiting at the table.

Aoko playfully nudged the magician in the side, bringing him out of his thoughts. "So Kaito?" she asked. "Anyone new in your life?" She had been unpleasantly surprised when the magician had showed up to the gathering alone.

A sharp grin spread across the ex-kaitou's features. "Nope," he answered. "Still single. I am perfectly happy leaving the trials and tribulations of being in a relationship to Hakuba-kun here."

"Kaito," his best friend said reproachfully. She knew him well enough not to take his words and actions at face value. What had happened with Ami? The pair had seemed to get along well enough when she had introduced them.

The magician shrugged. "Just haven't met the right girl yet I gue . . ." His voice trailed off as he stared across the courtyard.

There stood a slender figure, her aura shown impossibly bright compared to the others in the room. Kaito looked at her with more than his eyes, piercing the illusion of normality to reveal the light purple hair hidden beneath a glamour spell. God, she was beautiful.

Nakamori-keibu's daughter followed his gaze. "Ahh," she said thoughtfully. "Who is she?"

Kaito jerked his gaze back to the table. "I don't know," he feigned nonchalance, badly.

After considering the situation a moment, Aoko rose to her feet. Ignoring her best friend's frantic hiss to come back she moved across the room. "Hi," she introduced herself to the young woman. "Would you like to sit with us?"

After a moment the other nodded, following the Aoko back to the table. One after another its occupants introduced themselves.

The raven hanyou hid his nerves beneath a perfect poker face, producing a dark red rose from nowhere, which he offered to the violet-haired young woman. "Kaito Kuroba. Pleased to meet you."

She blushed faintly, accepting the flower. "Wisteria," she offered her name in return. "Likewise."

_KVKVKVKVKV_

_I have always liked the name Wisteria_

_But I wouldn't burden a kid with it_

_Maybe as a middle name_


	64. Doctor

_I own nothing and no one_

_Random plunnie that hit me while I was watching TV_

_Kid does know the strangest people._

**Doctor**

An odd sound filled the air, causing the group to collectively look around in puzzlement. Only one of them knew what it was. With a flash of light, a police box that looked like something out of 1950's London appeared, square in the center of the museum floor.

Kid groaned. Why him? Why now? The members of his Task Force just looked stunned. This was outside the realms of usual possibilities, even for a group as experienced as them in odd happenings.

A moment later the box's door swung open and a man with a head full of windswept brunette hair leaned out. "We've arrived," he announced in his usual bubbly manner. He stepped outside, looking around in fascination.

"So this is what an actual Kaitou Kid heist looks like," the new arrival mused. A wide grin spread across his face. "Fantastic." He turned to face the phantom thief. "And here is the man of the hour himself. It's been a long time."

"Not long enough," Kid muttered under his breath. He looked the alien in the eyes. "What are you doing here Doctor?" he asked. Somehow, he doubted it was on a whim.

The man pouted. "What? No hello." A blank stare was his only reply. The Doctor sighed. "Oh all right," he admitted. "I need your help."

"Absolutely not," Kid said immediately.

"But it is a matter of vital importance, and you are the best thief I know."

The kaitou was unmoved. "Flattery will get you no where, and it is always a matter of vital importance with you. You got along well enough before we met," he pointed out. "I'm sure that will remain true after I die."

"Please," the Doctor said. "Just a little trip."

A pair of violet-blue eyes narrowed. "That is what you said last time Doctor. A nice little island, a few booby traps, and we can all go home. A vacation you said. Only," the usually imperturbable thief's voice rose. "YOU FAILED TO MENTION THE ISLAND WAS INHABITED BY CANNIBALS!"

The doctor winced but quickly recovered. "It all turned out for the best. We got away didn't we?"

Kid was not appeased by his words in the least. He pointed one white-gloved figure at the other. "You Time Lord," he said slowly, as though speaking to a child. The finger turned back to point at himself. "Me Human. Some of us only have one life."

"Very well, I suppose I will just have to look elsewhere," the doctor seemingly admitted defeat. "And I did have this lovely book I was going to give you too, about Greek myths, but if you don't want it . . ." He turned and walked back into the Tardis.

The magician froze, a string of soft but creative curses escaping his lips. One of the reasons he hated dealing with the Doctor was that the other was the only person Kaito had ever met who was smarter than him. "Hang on," he shouted, running towards the Tardis. "I'm coming."

The doors snapped shut behind the white-clad figure and that strange sound once again filled the air. The police box faded from view, leaving in the same manner it had arrived. Hakuba blinked, Nakamori blinked, the whole task force blinked. What the hell had just happened, they wondered.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Yep, Doctor Who crossover_

_Like I have said before_

_My mind works in odd ways_


	65. Rescue

_Happy B-day to me_

_Unfortunately rights to MK and DC were not among my presents_

_This one sort of goes with Morals in that Kaito is a Magician with a capital M_

**Rescue**

Kid's smirk dropped off his face as he noticed the bright red dot moving across the museum floor. It looked suspiciously like a laser sight. He had seen enough of them to recognize it, and it was headed straight toward his favorite tantei. This was not good.

The magician thief immediately abandoned his previous objective, spinning to face the other. He was too far away to reach him in time, but he still had his voice. _"Detective!" _he shouted a warning. _"Look out!"_

Spurred by the urgency in Kid's voice, the shrunken teenager dropped and rolled. Not a moment to soon either. A bullet impacted the spot he had been just a moment before, causing pandemonium among the task force as they all sought cover.

Shinichi struggled to control his breathing from his place behind a large statue. No matter how many times it happened, he would never get used to being shot at. Though that was probably a good thing. Developing a cavalier attitude about such things could quickly lead to a long rest in a pine box.

Then, there was the fact that it had been him who had been the target. Not Kid, not Nakamori, him. Little Conan Edogawa. All things considered, this did not bode well for his future. Crap, the detective thought to himself.

"Shinichi Kudo," a dark voice echoed from the rafters. "This resistance is futile. Come out now and I will ensure your death is quick."

"Double crap," the tantei whispered.

"_Triple crap," _Kid agreed appearing behind the other without warning_. "And I believe this is my cue to leave." _He gave Shinichi a serious look. _"Care to come with."_

The detective snorted. "Like I have a choice."

"_Well," _the phantom thief drew out the word._ "You could stay here with our friends in black." _

"Thanks, but no thanks." Shinichi locked eyes with the seemingly older boy. "Let's go."

The white-clad figure didn't hesitate. He plucked the detective's small form off the ground and into his arms, released a few smoke bombs for cover, and ran.

Shinichi watched the approaching structure with wide eyes. "Kid, that is a wall," he pointed out quite reasonably. "Kid," the detective tightened his grip as the figure showed no signs of slowing. "Kid!!!"

A pair of blue eyes clenched shut and an odd tingling went through the detective's body. Cautiously, Shinichi opened his eyes; there had been no impact. Only to shriek as the phantom thief went through a second wall, then another.

"Nightmare," the detective muttered furiously to himself. "This is a nightmare." People did not go through walls, not even phantom thieves. As for Kid, the kaitou just laughed.

Meanwhile, Gin blinked, staring at the space where his target had been a moment before. There was nothing there now but a seemingly solid wall. Mentally he made a note to apologize to Snake. Obviously Kid wasn't such an easy target.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Please Review_

_It makes me happy_


	66. Immune

_I own nothing and no one_

_A few people wanted to see some more Doctor Who. Unfortunately, I do not have time to write a full story, nor have I figured out what happened on the island with the cannibals. However, I can offer this. Hope you enjoy._

**Immune**

"Nothing to see here," the Doctor flashed a paper in front of the pre-teen's face. "Now why don't you run along home kid," he suggested. "Before your family gets worried." It was fairly late. The sun was already starting to go down.

Kaito stared at the man like he was insane. "You do realize," he said slowly. "That is a blank piece of paper."

The Doctor blinked, looking down at the thing in his hand. Maybe it was on the fritz. He gave it a shake, before waving it once again in front of the boy's eyes. "I said you should go home," he repeated.

"It is still blank," Kaito pointed out helpfully. He wasn't quite sure what that piece of paper was supposed to be doing, but whatever it was, it wasn't working. And there was no way that guy some of the men in uniforms had dragged off had been wearing a mask. For Christ's sake it had been breathing through a set of gills. Was everyone else just blind? The magician wondered.

Now the doctor frowned, reaching out to grab one of the UNIT officers. He waved the paper in front of him. "Could you do something for me?" he asked politely.

The officer immediately snapped a salute. "Anything you need Commander Smith sir." It was an honor that someone so high ranking had been sent to this site.

"Get me a report of the damages," the Time Lord ordered. Once the officer had gone on his way, the Doctor turned his attention back to the seemingly earth native in front of him. Why wasn't the psychic paper working? "Are you certain you're human?" he asked suspiciously.

Kaito crossed his arms across his chest. He had the feeling he should be insulted. "Of course I'm human," he answered. A moment later a pair of blue eyes narrowed as he finished processing that statement. "Does that mean you aren't?"

It was the beginning of a not so beautiful friendship.

_FoaGFoaGFaoG_

_Please Review_

_On another note, if you have a minute please stop by my profile to vote on which of my plunnies should be expanded into a full story. _

_Previews can be found under "Scribbles and Scratches." _

_And who knows, you might decide to adopt one of my extras as your very own. _


	67. April

_I own nothing and no one_

_Not the best title but I totally drew a blank and I have to go to class_

**April**

A pair of golden eyes darted back and forth as the detective walked briskly down the street. His entire body shook slightly, a result of all the excess adrenaline in his system. It was the first of April, also known as April Fool's Day, and the blond was certain that Kuroba knew the significance, even if the holiday wasn't widely celebrated in Japan.

Why doesn't he just get it over with? Hakuba wondered uneasily to himself. He had been expecting something to happen since he had woken up this morning. In fact, the blond had seriously considered calling in sick, in an effort to avoid the hyperactive magician. In the end though, he had decided that would just make things worse.

So, Saguru had gone to school. However, contrary to all expectations, Kuroba had been on his best behavior. More than that actually, the class clown had not pulled a single magic trick. He hadn't even flipped his best friends' skirt, or told a single joke, which had only made the detective more suspicious. This just wasn't the others normal behavior.

As he approached his house, the detective unconsciously quickened his pace; nearly slamming the door behind him once he had entered. For a brief moment Hakuba just stood there, eyes closed. Then he let out a deep breath, tense shoulders relaxing.

"Get a grip Saguru," he murmured to himself. Perhaps Kuroba really didn't know, which meant he was just being paranoid. There could be other explanations for the magician's behavior. Who knew what was on his rivals mind? Determining that was difficult enough when your subject was sane. To quote someone else, on a scale of one to ten Kaito registered as the color blue.

The blond took a single step forward, only to stumble over a near invisible trip wire. At this, several things happened almost simultaneously. First a bucket of some unidentified substance dropped from the ceiling, landing on his head with a loud splash. It was cold. Then a bag of feathers ripped open, to be propelled towards him by an industrial strength fan that had appeared out of nowhere.

They stuck to him of course. Hakuba gritted his teeth. He didn't need a mirror to know he looked ridiculous. "Kuroba," he growled. He just knew the other was behind this, even if he couldn't prove it. The magician even had an alibi, him. In theory, Kaito shouldn't have had the time to set this up.

The detective grumbled under his breath as he made his way to the shower. The sooner he could get this stuff off, the better. He wouldn't put it past the magician to show up with some excuse, just so he could laugh at him. It was only later that Hakuba discovered someone had added dye to his shampoo. Something he could have kicked himself for not checking.

Of course, by then it was far too late. His blond locks had been turned a bright purple, and there was a Kid heist tonight as well. No doubt the thief wouldn't be able to resist saying something about his new fashion statement. The officers would probably comment too. He sighed. This simply wasn't his day.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Plunnie poll will be closing this week_

_Last chance to vote_


	68. Failsafe

_I do not own MK or DC_

_It is always good to have a backup plan_

**Failsafe**

The Detective of the East groaned as his alarm went off. It was far too early for this. Nonetheless, he reached up to switch off the alarm, grabbing his fake glasses and slipping them onto his face. It didn't take the shrunken teenager long to discover something was amiss.

Lying on his dresser, next to his wallet, was a large white envelope. That had not been there when he went to sleep last night. After a moment's consideration, Shinichi picked it up. If whomever had left it had wanted to hurt him, they would have done it while he was asleep. Besides, it was addressed to tantei-kun, and there was only one person who called him that on a consistent basis, a certain magician thief.

The brunette opened the envelope, pulling out both a note and what appeared to be a jump drive. Shinichi frowned. This frown only deepened as he read the note, an icy feeling forming in his stomach. He had always wondered about Kid's motives. Now though, he almost wished he didn't know. Why hadn't the thief said something before?

The exact wording of the note was unimportant, but the meaning was clear. In the event of my death, I leave things in your hands. Evidently Kid was planning on doing something reckless and hadn't wanted the information he had gathered to go to waste if he didn't make it back.

Shinichi swore furiously to himself, his tirade passing through several languages. Inspector Nakamori himself would have been impressed. "You better survive this Kid," he whispered to himself. "Because if you don't I swear I'll find someway to bring you back just so I can kill you myself."

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Of course Kid will live_

_Though I doubt he will come through totally unscathed_

_I can just see Conan patching him up while he yells at him_

_If you want this story feel free. Just ask first._


	69. Ouch

_I do not own DC or MK_

_This is a continuation of Failsafe_

_For all the people who wanted to see a sequel_

**Ouch**

The shrunken teenager paced the confine of his parent's living room. He had been spending more time at the Kudo home lately. Some of it had been spent thinking. The rest he had used going over the information on the jump drive.

Kid had included not only factual data, but his own experiences and speculations as well. In other circumstances, Shinichi would have enjoyed the unique insight into the other's psyche. But now, it had been almost three weeks, and no one had seen hide nor hair of the phantom thief.

_"If you keep that up you're going to give yourself gray hair," _a voice spoke up from the shadows.

The detective spun, stun gun raised, even before the words fully registered. Then he froze, a wave of relief going through him. That quickly passed. Right, Shinichi reminded himself. I'm angry with him. He glared, his blue eyes roaming over the white-clad form, noticing the way the kaitou was favoring one arm.

Shinichi's lips thinned. "Shirt off," he ordered. "Now"

From below the brim of his top hat the phantom thief grinned. _"Why tantei-kun," _he teased. _"I had no idea you felt that way about me."_

"Ha, ha, very funny," the detective said. His tone made it clear that it wasn't funny at all. He pulled out a first aid kit.

"_I'm fine," _Kid tried to protest. It wasn't that bad. He didn't need help.

"Do it," Shinichi glared at him. "Or I'll dart you and call the police." It was a fairly empty threat, but Kid didn't know that.

Sighing, the magician sat on the couch, carefully removing both his shirt and a crude bandage. A shallow, four-inch gash ran across the muscle of his right shoulder. It looked like someone had tried to stab him, which was exactly what had happened. If he had been just a little slower, it would not have been just a gash.

Kid hissed slightly as the detective cleaned the wound with a disinfectant. _"That hurts,"_ he complained.

"Be grateful I'm not using iodine," Shinichi replied. He pressed a little harder to emphasize his point. "Hot, stinging, iodine." If this ever happened again, he would.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Hope you enjoyed and Please Review_

_I'll try to get the next chapter of PoaT up soon_

_But I have a policy paper due Friday, so I'm a bit busy_


	70. Graduation

_I own nothing and no one_

_Inspired by recent events_

_No more school, ever_

_Excuse me while I cheer_

**Graduation**

Hakuba applauded politely with the rest of the audience as the speaker approached the podium. Inwardly though, the detective was a little put out. Not that he would ever let on. That would be unsportsmanlike. Still, how on earth could Kuroba have scored higher than him? Especially considering the magician's extracurricular activities.

In the end, Saguru supposed it didn't really matter. The only thing that did what that the brunette had. Which meant the honor of spokesman went to him. He just hoped Kuroba at least tried to behave himself. This was intended to be a serious event. The tantei pulled his head out of the clouds as Kaito began his address.

Cautiously the magician reached out to tap the mike. "Is this thing on?" he asked. The scattered laughs convinced Kaito that it was, prompting a large grin to spread across the young man's face. He struck a pose. "It was the best of times," the brunette declared dramatically. "It was the worst of times."

Kaito stood there a moment more before slouching. "Who are we kidding?" he questioned smirking. "It was totally the worst of times. But now we are leaving these hallowed halls, beginning our journey out into the real world." His tone informed his classmates that he wasn't truly serious about what he said. But then, when was he ever?

"It is time to get out there and accomplish our dreams," the magician said. "Whether you want to be a cop or a model, now is the time to go for it. "Or if you want to earn a degree at one of the universities." _Or a place on the FBI's most wanted list, _a cynical voice in the back of Kaito's head spoke up.

"Whatever you desire, the world is wide open, and the future is ours. So let's give a big hand," the magician raised his right arm. "To the Class of 2009!" As Kaito finished his speech, a bunch of orange fireworks went off, lighting up the summer sky.

The applause was thunderous. Short, sweet, relevant, and humorous, what more could anyone ask for in a speech? It was certainly preferably to some twenty minute spiel that put half the crowd to sleep. Still . . .

His classmates all stared at him as Kaito regained his seat. Whatever they had been expecting, that wasn't it. It didn't take the magician long to notice their looks. "What?" he asked a bit defensively.

"That's it?" Keiko ventured. No tricks, no humiliating incidents, she had to admit it was more than a bit out of character.

Kaito shrugged. "This is a momentous occasion," he reminded them. He might have gotten away with the excuse too, had his eyes not flickered briefly to a certain figure. His classmates followed his gaze.

Several seats to his left sat one Aoko Nakamori. A severe expression was on the wild-haired young woman's face as she sat in her graduation robes. At her feet lay an extremely solid looking baseball bat.

"Aah," the class said as one. That explained things.

"Yes," Kaito repeated. "Aah." He freely admitted he was more than a bit frightened of his best friend. Only a fool wouldn't be. In his opinion, Aoko was far scarier than her Father.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Hope you liked it and please review_

_Am currently jobless so I'll try to update more_


	71. Surprise

_I own nothing and no one_

_Inspired by natt_barn's little what if? Blurb_

_Toichi Kuroba did not have a son_

_Instead he had a daughter_

**Surprise**

Three detectives, and one thief, stumbled into the house. The small group was exhausted, but elated. Finally, after all this time they had finally done it. The Black Organization had fallen. Shinichi especially had reason to cheer as Ai had at long last succeeded in making an antidote to the Apotoxin, even if she had chosen not to take it. He could finally return to his real life.

As the detective's of the east and west sank into the nearby chairs with grateful groans Hakuba frowned, studying his long time prey with concern. "We should do something about that shoulder," he said, reaching for the kaitou. Saguru was surprised, as well as a little upset, when the kaitou pulled away from him. Didn't the other trust them yet?

"_I'd really rather not," _the thief murmured, one gloved hand coming up to cover the wound.

Hattori frowned. "He's right Kid," the tantei agreed. It wasn't like it was just a flesh wound. The phantom thief had been shot, though it hadn't been nearly as bad as it could have been. A few inches lower and to the right and the other would have been dead.

Kid shifted uncomfortably, trying to figure out what to say. There had to be a way to get out of this situation. Finally though, the magician gave in the inevitable, muttering something too soft for the tantei to make out.

"What was that?" Shinichi asked his brow furrowing.

"_I said I'm a girl, all right!" _the kaitou yelled.

The detectives just stared. You could almost hear their minds breaking. A girl? The Kaitou Kid? Though that did explain why the thief was so hesitant to take off his, err her shirt.

Finally Kudo snapped out of it, rising to his feet. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "I'll just go get Haibara then," he said inching out of the room, leaving the other two detectives to stare longingly after him.

After a moment, Hattori and Hakuba looked back at Kid, who still had her sapphire eyes locked to the ground. A faint blush had made its way up onto the young woman's cheeks, turning them a light pink. The room was totally silent. Man, Heiji thought to himself. Talk about awkward.

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Hope you enjoyed_

_And as always please review_


	72. Independence

_I do not own Magic Kaitou_

_This is a belated Fourth of July Snippet_

_Hope you enjoy_

**Independence**

"Happy Independence Day!" Kaito shouted gleefully. In the background, a series of fireworks went off, lighting up the night sky.

One blond eyebrow twitched. Hakuba had to admit, it was an impressive display, but still. "You do realize," the tantei told the other softly. "That we are in Japan."

A pair of indigo eyes blinked slowly. "So?" the magician inquired.

"So," Saguru said in what he considered to be a reasonable manner. "Independence Day is an American holiday."

Kaito merely rolled his eyes, sticking his tongue out at the half-British detective. "You're just upset that your side lost."

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Please review_

_And any Saint Tail fans are more than welcome to submit any ideas for _

"_Phantom of a Thief." I am kind of stuck. _


	73. Goodbyes

_I do not own Magic Kaitou_

_This is the third story in what I have mentally dubbed the immortality collection._

_You might want to go back and read Consequences & Exodus if you don't remember them. _

_In this one Kaito is about seventy-five years old._

**Goodbyes**

Kaito watched the figure sitting on the bed in silence. Standing in the shadows the way he was, the retired kaitou was virtually invisible. Intellectually, he had known for a long time that he would outlive everyone around him. That was why he had distanced himself from them. Still, Hakuba's heart attack had come as a nasty shock. Only last week the detective had been on the news, giving his statement regarding a series of violent robberies, and how they had been stopped.

The phantom thief hadn't been able to help himself when he heard. He had returned to the city of his birth, barely taking the time to pack. After that, slipping into the hospital to check up on the detective had been child's play. Retired he may be, but that didn't mean the great Kaitou Kid had lost his touch.

In spite of his recent covalence, Hakuba looked good, the magician reflected to himself. Sure, his once blond hair had gone white and his face was wrinkled, but his body was in good shape for a man his age. Never mind that Kaito was only a year younger, and, from his former hunter's choice in reading material, that iron mind of his hadn't dulled in the least.

Kaito studied his rival's, no his friend's face one last time before stepping backwards. He had seen for himself that Hakuba would make a full recovery. The hospital should release him any day now, which meant he should go. Fortunately or unfortunately depending on your perspective, the magician didn't get that far.

Golden eyes snapped up from his book, studying the room intently. "Who is there?" Hakuba demanded. His fingers inched to the call button, just in case. It wasn't like he hadn't made enemies throughout his long career.

A rueful smile crossed Kaito's face. No, the detective hadn't lost his edge at all. "Hey," he greeted, gliding out of the shadows and offering the detective a brief wave. A few short steps was all it took to reach the bed.

Saguru stared. "Kuroba?!" he said incredulously. One hand shot up to pinch the other's cheek, hard. There was no mask. The only sign of his action was the red mark where he had yanked the skin on the magician's face, though that quickly faded. His expression turned baffled. "How is this possible?" he asked quietly.

The magician laughed bitterly as he pulled out a chair and spun it around. "Payment for my sins," he answered, sitting by the other's side. He really should have been more cautious when it came to chasing magical gemstones. He told the detective as much.

Saguru's lips quirked. "Does this mean you finally admit you are the Kaitou Kid?"

Kaito just shrugged. "Would it matter if I were?" he answered Hakuba's question with one of his own. It wasn't like there was anything he could be charged with. Not after all this time.

The detective let the matter drop. He had a pretty good idea of the magician's motivations now. A lot of the pieces of the puzzle had fallen into place in the aftermath of the Kaitou Kid's last heist. "How are you?" he asked instead.

A pair of indigo eyes darkened, though Kaito still smiled. "As well as can be expected." For a time, the two spoke of inconsequential things, from the latest news to their former classmates. Over the course of the discussion, their respective careers somehow came up. Kuroba was working as a security consultant. He even got paid to break into buildings. It was fun, so much fun it ought to be illegal.

Hakuba stared at the ex-thief. "You are absolutely shameless," he said in a tone of wonder.

The Kaitou Kid's trademark smirk flashed across the other's features. "This surprises you?" he teased. The detective should have known that already. It wasn't long after this that Saguru fell back asleep, his recent attack taking its toll on his strength.

Kaito snapped his fingers, conjuring a bouquet of white roses which he put at the detective's bedside. After a moment of hesitation, he leaned down, kissing Hakuba gently on the forehead. "Goodbye," the magician whispered softly. He knew he would never see the other again.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Hope you liked it_

_And please review_


	74. Thief

_I own nothing and no one_

_Figured these crossovers seem to be popular, and I just thought of a new one_

_Still haven't figured out the island and the cannibals though_

**Thief**

"And here we are," the Doctor announced, turning one of the many knobs on the interior of the Tardis. "Ekoda, Japan, on Saturday, the first of August, 2009 A.D."

Kaito shot his sort of friend a mistrustful look. "Are you sure?" he asked. He had learned a long time ago that the Tardis did not always land at the right time, in the right place. It was better to be cautious.

"Yes," the Time Lord's expression turned superior. "I am sure." He sniffed, patting his ship fondly. "Besides, the old girl is entitled to have a few quirks with as long as she has been around."

A pair of blue eyes rolled in their sockets. "A quirk is landing with the door up a against a brick wall," Kaito gave his opinion of the matter. "A quirk is appearing in Beika instead of Ekoda." If that had happened he would have just taken the train home. "Finding yourself in 2009 B.C. is not a quirk."

The Doctor looked defensive. "I got you back, didn't I?" he huffed.

After a moment Kaito nodded in agreement, his features softening. "I suppose," he acknowledged, opening the door. If nothing else, traveling with the Time Lord was always an adventure. He was about to step out when a voice interrupted him.

"Kaito."

The teenager turned around. "Yes," he answered. Subsequently, he was surprised when the Doctor hugged him.

"Take care of yourself," the man murmured. He didn't need to remind the other of how dangerous the Black Organization could be. The thief was well aware of that. A moment later, the Doctor released him, stepping backwards while looking a bit self conscious.

Kaito just grinned, giving his friend a two fingered salute. "Always," he promised stepping out of the Tardis into the cool night air. The door swished closed behind him.

The Doctor sighed as he reset the Tardis, sending the ship hurdling through time and space. Sometimes he wished the young human would give up this crusade of his, but at the same moment, he knew he wouldn't. The Time Lord shook his head. Oh well, there was no use dwelling on things he couldn't change.

As long as he had the time he should probably do something usefull, like tune up his ship. The Doctor reached for his pocket, only to pause, a confused expression passing over his features. He patted himself down. Nothing. He realized what had happened in an instant.

"That," the Time Lord sputtered. "That lousy thief. He stole my sonic screwdriver!" At the same time though, a fond smile passed over his features. Kid really was good, he hadn't felt a thing.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Kaito laughed as he examined the device. Yes, this would be a great help in his future endeavors. The Doctor would probably be angry with him, true. But he would get over it. It wasn't like he couldn't build another.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Please review. If you don't I will be forced to set the fire-breathing kitty on you._


	75. Games

_I do not own MK or DC_

_Title sucks but I can't think of a better one_

**Games**

The door the Kaitou Kid's lair closed with an extremely final sounding click. For a moment, the second man to hold that title just stood there. It was hard to believe it was finally over. Evidently though, he stood there just a bit too long.

"I hope you are not changing your mind," put in a well known voice. "You promised Kaito."

The magician turned to smile at his companion. He still couldn't fathom how he had been so lucky. Not only had Aoko not beaten him within an inch of his life, with her mop, before dragging him before her father upon discovering his secret. She had somehow agreed to marry him.

Kaito reached out to pull her to his side, inhaling the soft scent of her hair. "Don't worry," he assured her. "The Kid is gone for good." His indigo eyes went a bit distant and he sighed. "I will miss it though."

"Kaito!" his fiancée sounded scandalized.

"Not getting shot at," Kaito hastily told her. "Or running from the cops." Well mostly, he privately admitted to himself. There was something to be said for the thrill of the chase. "But the freedom, the challenge," his voice trailed off, a new thought coming to him.

Aoko blinked, leaning away to look up at the other, her own eyes narrowing. This didn't bode well. "What are you up to now Kaito?"

A grin spread across ex-thief's features. "Just realizing there is one thing about the Kaitou Kid I am not willing to give up."

The young woman looked a bit worried as she fiddled with her engagement ring. "What?" she asked. It couldn't be too bad, she told herself. Kaito had promised, pinky sworn and everything.

"_Not what," _the magician purred, sounding far more like Kid than just plain Kaito. _"But who." _It was time to pay tantei-kun a little visit. There was little doubt in the young man's mind that Kudo would realize who he was almost immediately, but that didn't matter. Like Hakuba, the other detective wouldn't be able to prove it.

And didn't all the best games have an element of risk? Kaito thought to himself. He would just have to careful. His bright eyes shifted to his fiancée, whose fingers were beginning to inch towards her mop. Very careful, he amended.

**Extra**

"Shinichi-niichan, Shinichi-niichan!" the little girl held up her prize. "Look what that guy pulled out of my ear!"

The detective followed Ayumi's outstretched finger only to have his jaw drop. The juggling man looked just like him. It took him only a fraction of a second to put the pieces together. What the heck did that guy think he was doing?

Ran's jaw dropped too. "Wow," she murmured. "The two of you could be twins." She turned to look at her boyfriend. "Do you know him Shinichi?"

"Yes," the tantei answered somewhat. "I do."

His companion didn't seem to notice his tone. "Then who is he?" The young woman had to admit she was curious.

Shinichi gritted his teeth. "An idiot. Now if you will excuse me," he said, striding off toward the distant figure. "I'll be right back."

Blue eyes met blue, and Kaito smiled. "Excuse me," he asked innocently. "But have we met before?"

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Well, it is progress_

_But it isn't the next chapter of PT_

_Oh well, hope you liked it anyway_


	76. AA

_I do not own MK or DC_

**AA**

The three detectives stared at the thief among them as though he were insane. Which in all honesty was not that different than they looked at Kaito normally.

"You're not serious," Hakuba said aghast. How on earth did the other's mind come up with this stuff?

"No really," the magician said, waving his hands for emphasis. "If we are going to be working against the Black Organization we need codenames. It only makes sense to use non-alcoholic drinks."

From the look on the detectives' faces, it didn't make sense to them. Not at all.

"I can be Milk," Kaito continued. "And you can be Tea," he pointed at the half-British detective. "Hattori is Cocoa." It went well with the Osaken's unusually dark skin.

Heiji was beginning to look amused in spite of himself. "And Kudo?" he questioned.

For a brief moment, the thief intensively studied the shrunken tantei's decidedly sour looking face. This took a bit more thought than the others. He leaned back in his seat and steepled his fingers in front of him, presenting an air of great deliberation to his audience. "Prune Juice," Kaito announced gravely.

Shinichi's brow twitched as Heiji stuffed his fist in his mouth in an attempt to muffle his laughter. "You do realize," the detective of the east told his would be twin. "I know a hundred different ways to kill you that no one would think was anything other than a tragic accident."

Kaito just grinned. It was an empty threat and they both knew it. The detective was far too straight laced to seriously consider such a thing. Besides, the other needed him.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Thought of this at work this morning_

_Have been waiting to write it all day_

_Hope you liked it as much as I did_

_And please review_


	77. Haunted

_I own nothing and no one_

_That isn't going to change anytime soon either_

_Written for the manycases1truth Halloween challenge_

**Haunted**

"Bad dream," Conan murmured feverishly to himself. "Just a nightmare." This wasn't real, it couldn't be real. Any second now, he would wake up back at the Mouri's, safe and sound.

"_Get a grip tantei-kun," _Kid snapped as he dragged the shrunken detective away from the scene. _"This is not the time to have a nervous breakdown." _He almost wished it was Hakuba with him. Sure, Kudo was easier to carry, but the blond had been exposed to enough magical weirdness to roll with the punches.

Searching for Pandora was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Add to that the only thing Kaito really knew about it was that the gem was a doublet which glowed red under the moonlight and his quest became just about impossible. So, in an attempt to increase his chances of success the thief tended to go for gems with _unusual _back stories.

Most of these legends were old wives tales, some of them however, weren't. For instance there had been that one emerald which granted temporary telepathy, that. That had actually been pretty cool. He had had a lot of fun while it lasted. The diamond that compelled him to speak nothing but the truth hadn't been. Kaito had spent a week in bed, faking laryngitis. There had been a few more, but none of them had given him the trouble this stone had.

Who knew the stone really was haunted by the souls of the original owners? It was just bad luck that being exposed to moonlight had activated the curse, and even worse luck that Kudo had stepped onto the roof at that precise moment. Kid risked a look backwards, inwardly shuddering at the sight of red eyes and blood stained hands. It was clear the spirits considered both of them thieves, not just him. Something that would have been funny under different circumstances.

The thief also knew they had far more to worry about than simply dying. A handful of the pursuing ghosts seemed distinctly out of place when compared to the others. If those men, and woman, were not previous victims of the curse he would eat that stupid deerstalker cap of Hakuba's whole, and the coat as well.

Kaito felt a surge of relief as he reached the end of the roof, jumping off into empty air and activating his glider. He glanced back again, praying his pursuers could not fly. Evidently they couldn't, thank the kami. Unfortunately, he thought looking down. Being several hundred feet below him didn't seem to hinder the ghosts in the least. They still followed.

The teenager bit his lip. This was not good. According to the lore he had read, there were two ways to break the curse. One, return the gem to the proper owner. Impossible considering the man was currently in Paris. Or two, wait until sunrise, eight hours from now.

The ghosts flowed through the city streets, never slowing, never tiring. Kaito thought their pursuit just a bit unfair, considering he had never intended to keep the gem in the first place. However, that didn't seem to matter to the ghosts. In their minds, assuming they still had any, a thief was a thief.

Abruptly, the magician thief banked his glider, heading west. Maybe he should swing by Koizumi's place; he considered tightening his grip on the still comatose detective. Just in case.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Hope you liked it and please review_

_It makes me happy and protects you _

_from the demon cat _


	78. Charm

_I own nothing and no one_

_Thought about making this part of the Kuroba 'Verse_

_But something similar happens in one of the ovas_

_So, I put it here instead_

**Charm**

"Hold it Kid," a cold feminine voice growled. "Or I'll blow her head clean off." She pulled the girl's hair for emphasis. The hostage wasn't anyone important, just a random face from the crowd, but Rose knew the thief wouldn't dare move against her now. Kid cared too much.

Something that was going to be his downfall. The assassin could taste the sweetness of her victory already. After this night, everyone would know her name. Rose, the one to finally take down the seemingly immortal kaitou. It would be her big break.

The officers all froze, they had no doubt the woman would follow through with the threat. It was up to Kid. Fortunately, he had a plan. It was something he didn't really like to do, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

"_Aah," _the thief sighed, one hand coming up to flick a stray bit of hair out of his exposed eye. _"My dear Rose, how lovely it is to see you again." _His indigo eyes swept the area, searching for any other unwelcome surprises. _"And where is Snake this fine evening?"_

Rose sneered. "Who knows? Who cares?" This was her gig. Besides, Snake was over the hill, and after tonight everyone would know it.

Surprisingly, to the officers at least, Kid smiled. _"No matter," _he purred. "_I like you better anyways."_

A faint blush crossed the assassin's face. Odd, she had never realized just how handsome the thief was. Her grip on her weapon tightened. Was it just her? Rose thought to herself. Or was it starting to get a bit hot out here.

Kid chuckled as he took a few steps forward. Rose didn't seem to notice. _"I've always wondered," _he admitted. _"Why such a lovely young woman as yourself chose to be an assassin."_

"W-well," the killer stammered. "It's a job." Almost without realizing it, Rose released her hostage, Kid gently pushing the girl aside to take her place. An officer quickly moved her from the line of fire.

Softly, Kid stroked the side of the woman's face, leaning in to give her a gentle kiss on the cheek. A surge of satisfaction went through him as he noted the stars shining in her eyes. _"Could you do something for me Rose-chan?" _he asked.

"Anything."

"_Give me the gun."_

The weapon was handed over and the magician smiled, sweetly. _"Thank you." _He stepped back, letting his spell go. After this, he was going to need a ton of mouth wash.

Rose blinked once, then twice. "Hey!" she shouted, coming out of it. "What the he. . ." That was as far as she got before she was dog piled by a group of irate officers, a pair of handcuffs snapped on her wrists.

Several blocks away, Snake lowered a pair of binoculars. "Pathetic," he sneered. He could have told them that sending a female hitman after the phantom thief was a bad idea. But had they asked? No. Maybe now they would realize he knew what he was talking about where the Kaitou Kid was concerned.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Random idea I had while walking_

_Now that I think about it_

_Most fics come to me that way_

_Hope you liked it and please review_


	79. Relief

_I own nothing and no one_

_If I did, Kaito really would have wings_

**Relief**

"Try not to worry so much Hakuba," Kudo tried to console the other detective. "That guy wouldn't die so easily." Hattori murmured his agreement, green eyes scanning the area. He was still running partially on adrenaline, even after all this time.

The blond nodded, but his eyes still held doubt. It had been nearly a month since the downfall of the Black Organization. In that time no one had seen hide nor hair of the Kaitou Kid, he hadn't even sent a note. The last documented sighting had been by a civilian. The thief had been making a shaky escape by hang glider, his white suit covered in blood.

That did not bode well. Who knew how bad the other's injuries really were? The situation was not bettered by the fact the kaitou could not afford to seek proper medical attention, not unless he wanted to risk becoming embroiled with the police.

More to the point though, so far as Hakuba was concerned, no one had seen a certain magician eith. . . The tantei stopped in his tracks, golden hazel eyes going wide as he stared across the street. "Kuroba," he whispered. "Kuroba!" Saguru took off running, ignoring the screech of tires as he ran in and out of traffic. His gaze never left that familiar head of wild hair.

"What the hell?!" Hattori yelped, wincing at a near miss. "Has he gone insane?" And Hakuba accused him of being hot-blooded.

Kudo shrugged, snagging his friend by the arm as he picked out a safer path though the wall of traffic. If they wanted to know the blonde's motivations, they would have to ask him, and they couldn't do that from here. When the pair caught up to him, Saguru was holding a young man about their age by the shoulders. The other detective looked absolutely furious.

"You moron!" Hakuba shouted, shaking the magician so hard his teeth rattled. "You absolute idiot. I ought to kill you myself!"

Kaito let out a dramatic groan, while trying not to show just how much that shake had affected his still healing wounds. "What is it you think I've done this time Hakuba," he sighed.

"What have you done?" the blond echoed. If possible, he looked even angrier. "I thought you were dead!!!" His grip on Kuroba tightened, mentally reassuring him the brunette really was there.

Now the magician looked puzzled. "Now why would I be dead?" he inquired. "Surely I haven't been away that long."

His hunter's hawk-like orbs narrowed dangerously. "Maybe," Saguru hissed. "Because you're the Kaitou Kid." The other two detectives started at that, looking at the other with new eyes.

If Kaito felt uncomfortable under their scrutiny, he didn't show it. The magician huffed, effortlessly slipping out the tantei's grip and crossing his arms in front of him. "Give me a break," he said in a tone of long suffering. "We have been over this a thousand times Hakuba. I am not the Kaitou Kid."

Saguru opened his mouth, only to pause. It wasn't worth it to have this argument, not today. He sighed. "Just," the blond put one hand on the magician's shoulder and squeezed gently. "Just don't vanish like that again." It was the closest he could come to admitting he had been worried.

A pair of indigo eyes softened. "I promise."

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Sorry to those waiting on the next chapter of PoaT_

_Decided to switch the order of crossovers_

_I want the Jackie Chan stuff to be around Christmas time_

_So, the next series will be Highlander instead_

_Kaito gets to commit his first real felony_


	80. Youtube

_I own nothing and no one_

_It's been while I know_

_My muse has been busy with other things_

**Youtube**

"Boss," the policeman almost tripped over his own two feet as he stumbled into the taskforce's office. "Boss."

Nakamori looked up from his paperwork with a scowl. "What are doing here Kato?" he barked. "Your supposed to be at home, in bed." In spite of his harsh words, it was easy to see the concern in the inspector's dark eyes.

The officer coughed harshly, swiping one hand across his eyes. "I know boss," he said, pulling out his laptop. "But you gotta see this. One of my friends called me about it. They thought it was someone playing a joke, but its not." He typed the web address into his browser, giving the page a moment to load.

During this, the rest of the taskforce had gathered around, curious to see what all the fuss was about. There, in the middle of the screen lay a bouncing silhouette each and every one of them were familiar with. Their prey used it to sign his heist notes.

Hitting play, the clip began to roll. _This is a Kaitou Kid Production, _the words scrolled across the screen. _Dedicated to my own personal stalkers. No, not the taskforce, _it went on in smaller text. _I'm talking about you Snake, and all the rest of you %$^&$$* murdering bastards._

There was a pause. _Heh heh, ignore that last bit kids. I've been spending too much time with Nakamori-keibu. "And now," _the screen began to lighten_. "Let's get on with the show!" _When the smoke cleared, the officers could see the distinctive form of the Kaitou Kid, dressed in his trademark white tuxedo. He appeared to be standing on the deck of a boat.

"_Greetings," _the thief waved at the audience. _"I come to you tonight from onboard the Crimson Dream, above one of the deepest oceanic trenches in the world, to show you my greatest accomplishment yet to date."_

A gem, Kid's most recent heist, Nakamori noted, appeared in the figure's right hand, and he held it up to the moon. Immediately, the stone lit up glowing an eerie red, and a textbox appeared. _This is the Pandora, legend has it that under the light of the full moon, this stone cries tears of immortality. I don't know if the story is true, and frankly. Well, I don't give a damn._

"_Now," _the kaitou continued. _"Originally I had intended to smash this into a million teeny tiny pieces, but it is harder than it looks." _An almost imperceptible grimace flickered over Kid's face. _"Can you believe I actually broke an industrial strength diamond tipped drill bit?" _he questioned. _"Fortunately," _the thief rallied himself. _"I am nothing if not creative."_

The camera panned the deck of the ship, showing the materials lying at Kid's feet before the image of a clock popped up. The red arrow moving around the rim at an accelerated rate. _Six hours later, _another message popped up.

"_And voila," _Kid announced grinning at the camera. In his hand lay what looked like a perfectly ordinary chunk of rock. _"Oops," _clever fingers tipped the encased Pandora over the side, the camera following as the stone disappeared from sight, sinking deeper and deeper into the water.

The thief's smile slid into a smirk; all teeth, zero sincerity. _"Sorry about that Snake. It was an accident I swear." _The credits began to roll, a vindictive voice wishing them all happy hunting before cutting out entirely.

The taskforce just stared at the black screen. Meanwhile, one teenager leaned back in satisfaction, crossing his hands behind his head. As for Snake, he was busy cursing Toichi's name. Poor guy still hadn't realized the first Kid was dead.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Feel I must credit Ocianne for the teeth sincerity line_

_Saw it in a fic and just had to put it here_


	81. Beautiful

_**I own nothing and no one**_

_**Caught cold, which sucks**_

_**Especially as I have work**_

**Beautiful**

"And now," the announcer cried. "The moment you've all been waiting for." He gestured to the group of young women standing behind him on the stage. "Which of these lovely ladies will take home the crown?"

The crowd went wild. It had been a long, but exciting three days. The contestants had been whittled down from a group of nearly sixty, to merely a dozen. The contest had not been merely a test of beauty, but intelligence and talent as well. The ideal woman was more than just a pretty face nowadays.

A brilliant grin spread across the man's face as he removed a small piece of paper from an envelope, unfolding it. "And the winner is," he announced dramatically. "Miharu Hirata! Let's all give a warm round of applause to the Lady Kaguya."

A gorgeous raven haired woman squealed, running forward. Impulsively, she hugged the announcer, thanking him. And then it was time, the lady knelt as the tiara was placed on her head. The large moonstone that made up the center of the crown shown as the candlelight reflected off of it.

The taskforce tensed in preparation. This was the moment they were sure. Any second now, the Kaitou Kid would appear out of nowhere, snatching his prize. Well that stupid thief wouldn't succeed this time, the officers swore.

Yet, nothing happened. The phantom thief was nowhere to be seen. Nakamori felt the first stirrings of doubt in his gut. Could he have misinterpreted the heist note? He wondered. In all honesty, it wouldn't be the first time. The inspector still remembered that embarrassing incident at the Blue Crane hotel. Kid had actually called to inquire where they were.

Meanwhile, the band had finished playing the celebratory piece, Hirata-san stepping up to the mike. "Good evening," she smiled at the crowd. Even her voice was perfect. "I would just like to thank a few people for making this all possible. My parents for teaching me everything I needed to know. My best friend, for keeping my ego down."

The smile slid into a smirk, not that anyone noticed yet. "And of course," the young woman purred. "Nakamori-keibu and the dedicated members of the Kaitou Kid Taskforce, who have been with me through all my endeavors. The thick and the thin. . ."

Realization struck in an instant. "It's Kid!" the inspector bellowed pointing at the stage. "Get her! Erm, him!" The officers pounced, only to hit empty air. Once again, the kaitou had escaped.

**Part Two**

"You tell him," one officer whispered.

"Me?" the other objected. "Why me? You tell him, you have seniority."

"Yeah, but you're the rookie."

The argument came to an abrupt close when a voice spoke up from behind the pair. "Tell me what?" Nakamori inquired.

The two officers yelped, spinning to face their superior as they flashed hasty salutes. They looked more than a bit nervous. "Well," one of them began. "We searched for Hirata-san, the way you wanted."

"But," the other officer took up the story. "We couldn't find her, not a trace." Not even a spare hairclip.

Nakamori was silent for a long moment, putting the pieces together. The vein in his forehead began to pulse and he wished desperately for a cigarette. Unfortunately, he had promised his daughter he would quit. "You mean that ^&$%*^$% thief was her the entire time!!!"

_Hope you enjoyed and as always please review_

_It makes me feel like someone is actually reading these_


	82. Intervention

_I own no one and nothing_

_Was reading "I Love You Hakuba Saguru" when this popped into my head_

_And then I just had to write it. Set when Kaito is in his mid-twenties. _

_Hope you enjoy_

_**Intervention **_

The Kaitou Kid paused, one foot on the rail. He looked very dramatic framed in the moonlight as he was. But then, that was the point. What good was it to do something if you didn't look good doing it? The heist had gone well. The large sapphire he had stolen tucked away in one of his many pockets.

Looking down at the gathered crowd the phantom thief caught a flash of dark red hair, that reminded him. Kid spun, facing the taskforce once more. _"There's just one more itsy bitsy thing before I take my leave,"_ he said holding his fingers up a bare inch apart. Then, he snapped them.

"What the bloody hell?!" Hakuba shouted as his feet went out from under him. Almost before he knew it, the blond had been trussed up tighter than a thanksgiving turkey. Not to mention, he was hanging upside down over the edge of the balcony. "Kid!" the detective snarled, more annoyed than scared. He knew the other wouldn't drop him. "Just what are you playing at?"

_"Sorry about this Tantei-san,"_ Kid apologized, leaning over to riffle through the young man's pockets. _"But it is for your own good._" Soon enough he emerged with a small black box.

Saguru went white, then red. "You give that back," he snarled struggling against the bonds. This was a very poor joke on the thief's part. Seriously, once he got out of this, he was going to kill Kuroba.

_"Really,"_ Kid huffed. _"I'm only trying to help. When a person spends a week practicing their speech in front of a mirror, it is clearly time to give them a push."_ Or in this case, simply throw them off the cliff.

The detective meanwhile had gone silent, now how did he know that. Taking advantage of the other's distraction, Kid leapt from the balcony. Landing perfectly in front of the young woman who had caught his eye earlier. Hakuba might very well kill him for this, the thief considered. A quick grin flashed across his face. Still, it would be worth it.

Totally ignoring both the police and his audience, Kid dropped to one knee in front of the redhead, ignoring the detective's outraged shriek. _"My dear Miss. Witch,"_ he purred. _"Alas, poor Saguru has many unappealing traits such as his anal retentive nature, the tendency to tell time to the nearest second, a complete lack of a sense of humor. . ."_

"Kid!" the yell seemed to get the kaitou back on track.

_"Still,"_ the magician flipped open the box. Revealing what he had to admit was a very nice ring. _"Would you do Hakuba-kun the honor of being his wife? Though I'm not quite sure why you would want to,"_ Kid couldn't resist muttering that last bit under his breath, too soft for the crowd to hear.

Akako merely nodded, allowing the thief to slip the ring over her finger. She wasn't quite sure she trusted her voice at this moment. When the sorceress was younger, she had never really even considered getting married. But she had learned a great deal since then. Much of it due to Kaito.

Once it was done, Kid bounced to his feet, looking up at the balcony where the taskforce had appeared. He gave them a thumbs up. _"She said yes!"_

For a moment, a sappy grin stretched across Saguru's features before he forced himself to scowl. "I could have asked her myself," he pointed out. Given his position, the words were as dignified as they could possibly be. "Now if you could be so kind as to get me down."

Akako smiled slightly, her crimson eyes smoldering with heat. "I don't know," she laughed seductively giving her fiancé an appreciative look. "I kind of like him this way."

Kid grinned in return. _"Consider it an early wedding present then,"_ he told her leaning in to kiss the witch on one cheek. _"Congratulations." _

_Hope this made the transition from my mind to paper all right_

_And once again, I so wish I would draw_

_The proposal would make the most awesome picture_

_Gives puppy dog eyes_

_I don't suppose anyone wants to make me a B-day present_

_I'll be twenty-four in less than a month_


	83. Dazed

_I own no one and nothing_

**Dazed**

Hakuba hooked one arm under the smaller teen's shoulder as the magician stumbled over the entryway into his house. Obviously in spite of Kuroba's stubborn insistence he was fine, he wasn't. One didn't have to be a detective to realize that.

Kaito looked up at the blond with blurry indigo eyes. "Sorry 'bout this Hakuba," he slurred.

"Don't worry about it," the detective answered, steering him down the hall towards a guest room. If it hadn't been for the other's inhuman speed, that little girl would have surely been crushed. In Saguru's opinion, his classmate could easily earn a spot on Japan's Olympic Team, probably more than one of them, if only he wasn't busy moonlighting as a phantom thief.

Unfortunately, Kuroba hadn't quite managed to get out of the way himself. A bit of falling debris had slammed into his shoulder, causing the magician to take a header right into the cement. The paramedics had declared he would be fine. However, they didn't want him to spend the night alone. So, as the teen's Mother was out of town, Hakuba had volunteered.

It was tempting, so tempting to try to get something out of the brunette while he was discombobulated. However, Saguru knew that would be wrong. And it if not precisely wrong, than at least dishonorable. He would prove Kuroba was the Kaitou Kid, but he would do it the old fashioned way, with solid detective work.

Saguru turned his attention back to his guest, who still looked slightly uncomfortable about intruding. Yet another thing that proved Kuroba wasn't one hundred percent. The magician never showed his true face to the world. "It was an accident," Hakuba assured him. Although inwardly he had his doubts, the structure should not have collapsed the way it had.

Evidently Kaito had similar feelings as he snorted. "Yeah right," he scoffed. "Just like my Father's death was an accident."

Saguru stopped dead in his tracks, nearly dropping the other. "What do you mean by that?" he stuttered, good intentions going right out the window.

"Just what it sounded like," Kaito continued giving his rival a _you're an idiot _look. "Dad was murdered." There was a little voice in the back of his mind screaming this was an incredibly bad idea. But for the life of him, the magician couldn't remember why.

For a long moment Hakuba was silent, processing the new information. "Why haven't you gone to the police?" he asked softly. There had to be a reason.

"You mean like Kudo has?" the magician drawled answering the question with one of his own. "Need more, needs to be foolproof, perfect. Otherwise," he whispered. "We'll both be just another of their countless victims." Kuroba's knees buckled, eyes sliding shut, Hakuba suddenly finding himself supporting the other's full weight.

The blond scowled, but his golden eyes didn't hold annoyance with his classmate. Only trepidation. "When you wake up Kuroba," he told the unconscious teen, hoisting him over one shoulder. "We have a lot to talk about." He didn't know entirely what was going on, but Saguru knew there was no way he was going to let the magician do something so seemingly dangerous on his own.

_Hope you liked it, and now_

_**For An Important Author's Note!!!**_

_Good news for me: Going to Morocco in two weeks_

_Bad news for you: Will be gone 2 years 3 months_

_Good news for me: Taking both notebooks and laptop_

_Bad news for you: Probably only get internet access once per month_

_Good news for everybody: Will update as often as I can_

_Bad news for everybody: Won't be as often as I want_


	84. Tactics

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one_

_Greetings from Morocco, having fun_

_But will be glad once I am a bit more fluent in the language_

**Tactics**

A faint frown crossed Kaito's features and he idly tapped the tip of his pencil against the papers in front of him. This would not do at all. Trying to kill him was one thing, but placing a mole in his taskforce. That was something the thief could not, and would not, tolerate.

It was just too dangerous. Not just to him either, but to the officers as well, including Inspector Nakamori. Kaito wasn't about to leave someone in a position to shot Aoko's father in the back.

In all honesty, this wasn't the first occasion that the Black Organization had tried to plant someone in the Kaitou Kid Taskforce. At times it seemed they were trying to pull something behind his back every other week. Really, the teen huffed to himself. Did they think he wasn't paying attention?

Kaito had taken care of them all. Just like he would take care of this one. Though, the magician had to admit to himself. This guy was a lot more persistent than his predecessors. If not for the fact the other was, in all likelihood, a murderer, he would have been impressed.

Still, because of this, the man's resolve was not something to be admired. Simply an indication to Kaito that he needed to try harder. You see, contrary to popular belief, there were a lot of ways to make a person miserable without actually hurting them. The magician knew them all.

Indigo eyes scanned his list again. Sabotage hot water heater, the teen thought to himself. Check. Clog toilet, check. Unplug phone and alarm clock, double check. Hide decaying banana under the couch, check again. Switch salt and sugar; soak bed with cold water. Check and Check.

The magician's brow furrowed. That was a good start, but what else could he do? Suddenly Kaito grinned, pulling out an untraceable computer and cracking his knuckles. He was a thief after all. Perhaps he should see just how well the Black Organization was paying their agent. And how much the man could afford to lose.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Fic update: DorN is done and WOWG is up_

_However, it will be a shortish one_

_So head over to S&S and tell me what you would like to see next_

_Your opinions matter to me _


	85. Doubts

_**I own nothing and no one**_

_**No one can be confident all the time**_

_**Not even the Kaitou Kid**_

**Doubts**

Kaito sighed, the light from the full moon revealing nothing that wasn't already there. Great, he thought sourly to himself. Another dud. How many did this make now? The sixteen year old flopped to the ground, uncaring of how it looked. It wasn't like there was anyone around to see his moment of weakness.

Sure, the large diamond was pretty enough. Nice and shiny, not to mention worth an obscene amount of money. Still, in the magician's eyes, it was nothing but a hunk of rock. There were more important things, and he couldn't understand how some people could think otherwise.

Gloved fingers tightened around the stone, a pair of indigo eyes staring moodily at the night sky. It was like searching for a needle in a freaking haystack. Worse really, because the truth was, Kaito had no idea if the Pandora Gem actually existed.

But then, the magician thief realized, looking back at the diamond. Maybe it didn't matter what he believed. Whether Pandora was real or not, all the gem had ever been to him was a means to an end. A way to get closer to his Father's murderers.

And it was working. Slowly true, but working just the same. So perhaps, Kaito reflected to himself. It was time to start thinking about it like that. If he found Pandora great, if not so be it. He didn't really care.

All that mattered was that Snake and his masters paid for what they had done. That they wouldn't be able to hurt anyone else. He would see to it, the teenager reaffirmed his private vow. Even if it was the last thing he ever did.

Gracefully, the phantom thief regained his feet. Any trace of his insecurities vanishing from his features to be replaced with his usual poker face. It would happen, Kaito promised himself. Until that day came though, he would just have to keep searching.

_Hope you liked_

_On another note, WOWG is done_

_PoaT: The First Heist is next_

_After that though, I need some advice_

_So go check out my poll_

_Sorry if your fav isn't up there_

_Don't know how all my plunnies end_


	86. Heartbreak

_I own nothing and no one_

_As promised, this one is a humor fic_

**Heartbreak**

Worldly as he was, the magician thief resisted the urge to blush as he beheld the full glory of the woman posed seductively on the roof. She was wearing something that looked like it had come off the set of an R rated movie. Bits of makeup in just the right places bringing out the best of her lovely features.

However, the few members of the taskforce who had managed to follow him up past the top floor could not, desperately trying to look anywhere else but at the scantily clad female. They seemed to have forgotten their prey entirely. Not that the thief particularly blamed them.

What was holding that outfit up anyway? Hell, for that matter why had she bothered to wear clothes at all? Behind his top hat, Kaito's brow twitched faintly as the young woman spread her arms wide, entreating the phantom thief to take her now.

Just what did she expect? For him to ravish her right here on the roof? Even if the kaitou had been interested, which he wasn't. He was a gentleman thief, not a lecher. Crowded public rooftops were hardly the proper place for such liaisons, at least in his opinion. Some people might feel differently.

Now Kaito was no stranger to the ways of fan girls. His female groupies had only increased in number during the four years he had been active. He even had a small gay following, something the phantom thief tried not to think about. It was an embarrassment to be honest. However none of them, not even that Sonoko girl, had ever gone to such lengths before.

Clearly, something would have to be done. The twenty year old didn't want this to become a regular occurrence. With a snap of his fingers, the young woman was dressed in a beautiful, but much more concealing gown. The magician offering her both a rose and a rueful smile.

"_Alas my dear lady," _Kaito purposefully pitched his voice so all could hear. _"I am afraid my heart belongs to another." _The anguished screams from the female portion of the gathered crowd below were audible several miles away.

_FoaGFoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Up to you to decide whom Kaito's heart belongs to._

_I'm leaning towards Akako just because she would find this funny._

_I don't think that many women would._


	87. Misinterpretation

_I own nothing and no one_

_Honestly surprised, it has been awhile_

_Just didn't notice because I was busy with my chapter story_

_Muse seems to have come out of hibernation though_

_Hopefully it will spit out some Kuroba 'Verse too_

**Misinterpretation **

A slender woman sat alone at the bar, a faint frown on her face as she sipped a ginger ale. She was beautiful, with long raven black hair and a pair of dreamy hazel eyes. Unconsciously she reached down to smooth her dress, gaze falling on her watch as she did so. It was ten forty-five p.m.

An outside observer might have thought the young lady was waiting for someone. Probably a man. She wasn't. In fact, she wasn't a she at all. She was actually a he, and not just any he either. The famous international criminal 1412, known in most circles as the Kaitou Kid.

Where were they? Kaito wondered to himself feeling slightly disgruntled. It was only fifteen minutes until the time stated on his heist note, and there was no sign of the taskforce. They should have been here hours ago.

The thief sighed, spinning to examine the rest of the room. He could see the hotel lobby through the door. Everything appeared to be business as usual. Yet another sign that something had gone wrong.

It was somewhat tempting just to proceed according to plan. Make dramatic entrance, steal gemstone, exit stage left. But he had put a great deal of work into this heist damn it all. Kaito had quite a few fancy tricks he wanted to test out. Something that would be difficult with no one to test them out on.

Kaito turned back to the barman, offering him a dazzling smile. "Excuse me," he/she said sweetly. "But might I borrow your phone." The man handed it over seemingly without thinking about it. Honestly, he looked slightly dazed. "Thank you."

Gracefully, the disguised figure rose. Walking to one of the nearby alcoves for some privacy. It was the work of a second to punch in the number. Kaito had memorized it back in Grade School. Patiently he let it ring.

"Hello," came a gruff voice from the other end. The Inspector did not sound happy.

"_Hello Nakamori-keibu."_

There was a moment of silence. "Kid!" Ginzo yelped. "Where the hell are you?"

"_I am at the Blue Crane Hotel," _came the smooth reply. _"The question is where are you?"_ There was no answer. Just the sound of a dial tone. Kaito merely shrugged, walking back to the bar and returning the borrowed phone.

Ordering another ginger ale, the thief sat back down. Nakamori and company would be here soon enough. Then the real fun would begin. Though he really would have to remember this for future reference. Just in case the taskforce's egos ever got too big.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Well, that is that_

_Please tell me what you think_


	88. Gossip

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one_

_Sorry guys, I know it has been awhile_

_Combo of computer issues and writers block_

_Every time I sat down to work on "Best Served Cold"_

_I ended up with flashes of my other RK plunnie_

_Which I cannot start yet because I don't know how it ends_

_Sighs, at least I came up with a better title for it_

**Gossip**

The officers couldn't help themselves. Eyes straying again and again to the single figure who sat apart from the rest of them. Not that there wasn't something to look at mind. The Kaitou Kid always cut a dramatic figure.

But none of them moved. The task force making no attempt to capture their long time prey. Any thoughts of dog piling on the bandit chased away by a much more pressing need. That of survival. They had done all they could. All that was left to do now was wait.

The silence however gave rise to other questions. Finally one of the younger officer's could take it no more. "Hey Kid."

_"Yes?" _the thief turned his head. Sapphire eyes gleaming in the dim light.

"Is it true you threatened Aoko's date?" He just had to know. The rumor had been floating around the station for weeks and it was unlikely he would ever get a better chance at discovering the truth of the matter.

_ "Certainly not," _the kaitou managed to sound insulted. _"All I did was inform her young suitor that I held Nakamori-chan in the highest regard, and that it would behoove him to comport himself in a manner befitting a gentleman." _

The thief paused briefly before making a final admission. His teeth flashing in a smirk that sent chills running down more than one man's spine. _"I may have been juggling balls of fire at the time."_

There was a moment of silence while the group imagined the scene. Then, smiles broke over the faces of the task force. Some of them not even attempting to muffle their laughter.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Well, now I feel less guilty._

_New story will be up by next week. Promise._

_Though no promises about which one it will be._

_Make just stick the titles in a hat pick one and start writing._


	89. Prison

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one_

_Continuation of Arrested! Chapter Fifteen_

_Written with Bellerophone's permission_

**Prison**

Snake was being escorted back to his cell when the officer in front of him suddenly stopped. It didn't take long to see what was wrong. Two guards were unconscious, the door was wide open, and the room was empty. In short, Kid was gone.

Truthfully the assassin wasn't all that surprised. The brat was good, maybe even better than Toichi had been. It was just too bad he had inherited his Father's morals as well, he mused. Just think of the possibilities if he hadn't.

What was surprising was the note the boy had left behind, sprayed across the wall. In blood red paint. As an uneasy feeling crept up Snake's spine he had to wonder if the color choice had been deliberate or if it had just been the only stuff Kid had available. The words' actual content did little to calm him.

_My Dearest Snake, _the impromptu letter began. _As usual you have given me much to think about. I know death better than you would think. It has after all been my close companion these past few years. _

_ I faced it everyday. Constantly having to be on guard. Knowing that any second you and your associates could have realized the truth and come for me. That not even the daylight hours were safe. Not for me. That was my Father's mistake was it not. _That Kaito had no intention of repeating it went without saying.

_Not all attachments are voluntary enemy mine. Some can be very one-sided. Maybe I will kill you. Maybe I won't. Either way, I suggest you watch your back. Because I will always be there. Forever._

The assassin swallowed. For the first time in a long time regretting the fact he had pulled the trigger as he wondered just how dangerous a Kid without rules could be. He didn't especially want to find out. In fact, maybe he should stay in prison. It seemed safer.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Mahahahaha!_

_I have defeated the evil known as writers block_


	90. FavorIsland

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one_

_Hey guys, been awhile I know_

_But I return, not just with fic_

_But an DW/MK xover_

**Favor**

_See the Universe, _Kaito grumbled to himself. _Travel to far off times and places. _Why had he thought this was a good idea again? The teen wondered. Then he sighed, ah well, it was too late to turn back now. He had given the Doctor his word.

Taking a slow, steady breath, the brunette lowered himself the last few crucial inches. Kaito could feel the blood rushing to his head; he ignored it. He couldn't afford to hurry things, not now, not ever. Like any good thief, the teenager knew that the most important part of any heist was not in reaching your target, but getting away clean afterward.

Not that this was a usual heist by anyone's standards. For one, he was himself, Kaito Kuroba. Technically, the Kaitou Kid didn't exist yet, either of them, and it wasn't like anyone was around to see his true face. Hell, he wasn't even on Earth much less in Japan.

Something Kaito was privately grateful for considering that hanging upside down while wearing a cape wasn't exactly the simplest thing ever, not to mention what a pain getting stains out of his suit was. For another, this complex had been abandoned for centuries. In all honesty, he wasn't even sure if this counted as stealing.

Sharp indigo eyes examined his target from all angles, grateful he had been able to convince his companion to wait at the entrance. If not, they both would have been dead by now. Brilliant as he was, the Time Lord couldn't stay still for anything. It was hard to believe the other was over nine hundred years old with how childish he acted sometimes. Kaito just hoped he had judged the weight correctly, otherwise . . .

Well, the phrase 'shit out of luck' came to mind. Sure, the casing looked like it was made out of titanium, but with the craziness the Doctor dealt with on a usual basis, who could be certain? Part of him wondered if this was a good idea, he couldn't back out now though.

One, Kaito flexed his fingers, two, and three. The brunette switched the device with his replica, holding his breath as the room shook briefly before going still. Not quite trusting that it was over, he held his position a few more moments before exhaling. He had done it.

Excellent, the thief thought to himself. Now all he had to do was get back to the upper level, avoid any trapdoors, make sure the arrows hidden in the walls stayed there, and that said walls didn't try to squish him. Not get chopped in half by the swinging blades, suffocated by sand, drowned in water, or set on fire, and he would be home free. Oh, and watch out for the scorpions, one mustn't forget the scorpions. Kaito was just glad there were no snakes on this island.

Less than an hour later he was placing said device in a relieved Doctor's hands. "Do I even want to know what that does?" the teenager asked. Or if it would have any unwanted side affects. If Kaito grew a third eye or something, he was not going to be happy.

"It's not important," the Time Lord waved off his concerns. "Suffice it to say it is something that should not be left lying around for some dumb monkey to get their hands on."

Kaito just raised a brow, familiar enough with the Doctor not to take offense. "And yet," he teased. "You needed this dumb monkey in order to get your hands on it." For a moment the pair just stood there, before the sound of drums began to echo down the valley. The thief frowned. "What is that?" he asked. He hadn't known this island was inhabited.

The Doctor blinked, looking up from his examination of his recently acquired treasure. "Just the natives," he answered. "They really do have quite the fascinating culture," he sighed. "Pity that bit about the ritualized eating of sentient beings. It was a mistake you know. Some idiot mistranslated one of their religious texts several centuries ago."

While his companion prattled on, Kaito had gone very still. "Are you trying to tell me," he hissed. "That this island is inhabited by cannibals!" He should have known there was a catch. Things had been going far too well up to this point.

"Well yes," the Doctor didn't seem to realize that this was a problem.

Kaito gritted his teeth. "And has it occurred to you," he growled. "That we might be the next things on the menu."

The Time Lord paused, mouth half open as the drums increased their tempo. It really hadn't. "Ah," he clucked his tongue. "We should probably run then. Allons y!" He took off at a dead sprint. Kaito cursing everyone and everything, in multiple languages, as he followed on the other man's heels.

It was against the phantom thief's code to harm others. No one gets hurt was his cardinal rule. Then again, he considered, it wasn't as if it would do the Doctor permanent harm. He mulled the idea over briefly, yelping as a spear flew by his head. That settled it, Kaito decided, if they got out of this alive, he was going to kill him.

_Finis_

_Hope you liked it and please review_

_Actually, am having a small case of writer's block at the moment_

_I love this fandom, but have been running a bit short of ideas lately_

_So if any of you have something you would like to see, tell me about it_

_It may just get written._


	91. Forever

_I own nothing and no one_

_Happy Halloween. Yes, I know I'm late._

_But my previous idea was so lame I didn't even bother to write it._

_This one is much better. Hope you enjoy._

**Forever**

"Snake!"

The assassin turned his head to see his long time nemesis standing on the edge of the roof. The thief looked tense, but then, the other had always been soft. "What do you want Kid?" he sneered, gun not wavering from the injured officers at his feet.

"Let them go."

A snort escaped Snake's lips. "And why should I?" he inquired snidely. "Unless you are offering yourself in their place." Not that he would accept if Kid was. Such offers were always harder to collect on than they should be with the other, so he would settle for causing the kaitou pain instead.

"No," the thief's voice was steady. "Something better." He raised his left hand high above his head, opening his palm to let the moonlight spill over the gem previously hidden within. It glowed a deep, blood red. Kaito could hear something whispering to him, but he ignored it. He had enough experience to know that magic always had its price, and he highly doubted he was willing to pay this one.

Part of the thief rebelled at doing this. He had sworn a long time ago that he would destroy this accursed gemstone; that he would make sure that it never hurt anyone again. However, as much as Kaito loved his Father, he found his loyalties to the living outweighed those to the dead.

"Pandora," the assassin breathed, hardly able to believe what he was seeing. He took a step back, so as to better cover both the thief and his hostages. "Give it here," he ordered.

Kaito's lips tightened, but he didn't move. "The officers first," after all, he was much more likely to keep his word.

Snake kicked one of the men viciously, ignoring the others protests. "Get up," he hissed. "Get up and walk."

Taking one look at the killer's ice cold stare, the trio got to their feet. Helping each other stagger across the rooftop to the relative safety presented by the phantom thief. They were only half-way there when Snake spoke again.

"Alright, that is far enough." At this point Snake didn't care what happened to the officers, he knew Kid still did though. "The gemstone," he ordered gun pointed unwaveringly at one man's back. They both knew it was no bluff, he wouldn't hesitate to shoot. "Now. And don't throw it." The assassin knew all about Kid's tricks, and wasn't about to fall prey to one.

Carefully Kaito set Pandora on the ground, kicking it lightly over to the assassin who promptly picked it up, stripping off his gloves to admire it from all angles. It was as though he had forgotten the rest of the people on the roof, not that any of them were complaining.

"Pandora," the assassin breathed. "At last." The ultimate power, and it was sitting in his hands.

_ Immortality,_ the inhuman voice seemed to come from everywhere and no where at once. _Is that what you desire?_

Snake's eyes were unfocused as he stared at them gem. "Yes." Who wouldn't want to live forever?

_Are you certain?_

"I said yes," the killer snarled. "Now give it to me!"

_ As you wish. _

What had once been a soft glow became a burning inferno. The crimson light sweeping over Snake and seeping into his skin. For a moment the man looked triumphant, before he doubled over, Pandora dropping from suddenly nerveless fingers. His expression becoming one of horror as his flesh began to turn gray.

"What?" the assassin choked. "What's happening to me?" He tried to move but he couldn't, his feet had already turned to stone.

_ You said you wanted immortality._

"Not like this," he whispered. "Not like this!" Pale eyes darted around desperately, settling on the phantom thief. "Kid," he held his arms out entreatingly. "Kid, help me. Do something." His eyes went wide with terror as his fingers became stone. "Please."

The white-clad figure was eerily still as he watch his Father's killer's metamorphosis. Face unreadable as a sheet of marble. "I cannot," he said softly.

"Kid!" Snake gave a final scream. The transformation freezing his face in a rictus of fear for all time. The only sign that the figure had once been a living, breathing human being the memories of those present.

Slowly, the thief walked to the statue's side, carefully picking up Pandora and sliding it into a pocket, ignoring the officers' feared protests. He had no intention of using the gem, and so was perfectly safe. Besides, he still had a promise to fulfill. Taking one last look at Snake's face, the Kaitou Kid disappeared into the night, never to be seen again.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_In other news, have decided to close this collection at 100 drabbles_

_So, if there is anything you want to see before the end, send me a pm_

_Who knows, it may just appear here._


	92. Drowning

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one_

_I will try to get one with all four gosho boys later_

_For now, this is what came out _

**Drowning**

_Air_, _he needed air. _

Shinichi struggled against the current, fighting to ignore the chill that was seeping into his bones. Not to mention the blinding pain centered around his left thigh where he had collided with one of the steel girders. The detective could feel the burning in his lungs as they demanded oxygen, black spots beginning to overtake his vision.

Still the brunette fought,visions of his friends, of Ran, passing through his mind. If he passed out now, he would die. He couldn't die, not now! Not while all of them were in danger, a danger most of them were blissfully unaware of.

_ Kuso! _Shinichi swore silently to himself. Where was the surface? He ignored the nagging voice in his head that argued that he might have gotten turned around. Was he even swimming the right way? He wondered. It was getting hard to think.

Finally the shrunken tantei could take it no longer. Hands shooting to his throat he inhaled, choking on water as precious bubbles of oxygen escaped his lips. He wavered, his last sight before the darkness overwhelmed him entirely that of an outstretched arm.

Kaito broke the surface, a wave of relief flooding his body. For a moment he hadn't been certain he was going to be able to find the other. The water had been so dark. Cradling his precious cargo to his chest, the thief turned onto his back, kicking for shore.

The detective was unconscious, though still breathing. Which was probably, the kaitou decided after a moment, just as well. For one, his impromptu dive into the river had had an adverse affect on his disguise. Hakuba's face was, for lack of a better word, melting. Also, the thief wasn't sure he would have been able to restrain his urge to shake the other teen.

Sure, Kudo, Conan, whatever had the mind of an adult, but his body was that of a child. Something the other seemed to have far too much trouble remembering. Kaito shuddered as he recalled some of the situations he had witnessed the meitantei throw himself into without a second thought.

The incident with Scorpion came to mind. Who the hell follows an armed killer into a burning building anyway? Well yes, he had, but only because tantei-kun was in danger. Someday, Kudo was going to get himself into a situation not all the brains or gadgets in the world could get him out of, and that would be that.

Kaito sighed, running his fingers through the other's water-logged hair. He didn't want to lose the detective, and not just because of personal fondness. Kudo was one of his best chances for taking down his Father's killers, but the other couldn't do that if he were dead.

The thief's indigo eyes hardened as he rose to his feet, pulling out waterproof phone and dialing. Well that wouldn't happen, he decided. Not while he was around.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_In case you didn't realize, this is a missing scene from one of the DC movies_

_Specifically, Private Eyes Requiem, or something like that_

_I've seen in translated a couple ways_

_Oh, and to **Girl on the Computer**_

_Loved your prompt,and I have a great idea_

_It will be coming out around Christmas_


	93. Wager

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one_

_Admittedly, when I first saw the request for another poker night, I had no idea what to do. Especially when I saw the bit about the cops/detectives/inspectors being involved. But then this hit me while I was making lunch. _

_Hope you enjoy ian904. Ante up!_

**Wager**

It was a fairly pleasant evening at the roving headquarters of the League of Phantom thieves, a number of them having gathered for a bi-monthly meeting. They would have met more often, but their varied careers made that difficult. Many of them not being in the same country from week to week much less the same city; a hazard of their professions.

Still, despite the difficulties, it was worth making the effort. The kaitou enjoying the opportunity to socialize with others like themselves. To be able to converse with someone on the same level, not to mention the extremely rare chance to relax, well mostly anyway.

Dark Mousey was regaling some of the younger members with tales of his previous escapades, while Arsene Lupin the III was flirting with Viper, who looked to be on the verge of decking the man. It was common knowledge she had fallen for some hero type. Chan they thought his name was.

Saint Tail had just barely made it, arriving with Catwoman. The elder bestowing some womanly advice while their peers pretended not to listen. Or in some cases, actively trying not to listen. There were just some things about Batman they didn't need to know.

Kurama, Goemon, and the elder Lupin had withdrawn from the others slightly, seemingly deeply engrossed in some sort of philosophical discussion. Carmen Sandigo meanwhile had bowed out early; on her way to steal the Great Wall of China, and of course, there was a spirited poker game going on in one corner. In short, everything was perfectly normal. Well, as normal as a gathering of phantom thieves could be.

Until that is, Bakura arrived. While technically a member, the white-haired teen rarely attended these gatherings, which was just fine with everyone involved. The tomb robber considered most of them to be softhearted fools, while they found him creepy. Not to mention more blood thirsty than any kaitou had a right to be.

The spirit looked neither right nor left as he approached the corner. Pulling out a chair and sitting down Bakura smirked, as he waited patiently for them to finish the current game. An expression that clearly displayed his prominent canines. Expression becoming more intent as the last hand went to Chat Noir, the french one. "Deal me in."

The Black Cat, from New York, regarded him thoughtfully as she shuffled the deck, and she wasn't the only one. Believing, and rightfully so, that the simultaneously older and younger man had far more on his mind than a simple card game. "What are you offering up?" she asked, dealing the cards out.

The group was unsurprised when the tomb robber drew a handful of cards from his pocket, setting them face down on the table. They rarely wagered cash, it just wasn't worth it. Any one of them could knock over a bank in their sleep if all the cared about was money. Then, Bakura turned them over. Smirk widening as the outraged kaitou regarded the trapped figures within.

Kid's fingers twitched, indigo eyes fixated on the second card from the right. Hakuba. Sharp mind identifying the other officers, as well as a couple vigilantes, and filing the information away almost carelessly. Their kaitou could take care of them, but he wanted his detective's soul back and he wanted it back right now. He met Bakura's eyes squarely, well aware of what the buy in price of this round would be before glancing down at his hand and discarding. "Hit me."

_This might not have been what you were thinking of when you mentioned the detectives_

_But it was the only thing I could think of, and it is a very Bakura thing to do._


	94. Nutcracker

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one_

_Have been itching to post this since I got the prompt from Girl on the Computer_

_Kaitou Kid = Ballerina_

**Nutcracker**

Inspector Nakamori scowled, glaring briefly at the non-smoking sign before returning his gaze to the stage. Specifically, the necklace hanging around _Clara's_ neck. There was no way to tell if it was real. For all he knew Kid could have stolen it already. The only indication he hadn't was that it wasn't the phantom thief's style. The Kaitou absolutely had to make a huge production out of anything and everything he did.

Something Ginzo was privately grateful for even if he would never, ever say so aloud. If Kid had chosen to become a tradition thief instead of a kaitou he probably would have bankrupted Japan within the year, due to insurance claims if nothing else. The inspector grimaced at the thought before turning his mind back to the job.

That necklace was worth more than he made in an entire year. Glass and paste would have worked just as well; no one would have been able to tell from this distance. But no, they had to use diamonds. Nakamori snorted in disgust. Actors.

The head of the Kaitou Kid Taskforce hated heists like this. Hated them. Museums and private collection were bad enough, full of all sorts of little holes a determined and intelligent criminal could exploit. A place like this though, well it was practically an engraved invitation to for the magician thief to come out and play.

It didn't help that the director had forbidden Nakamori's men to check for disguises, something about ruining the dancers' makeup. The inspector would have protested more if he hadn't been sure it was a lost cause. In addition to the dancers themselves there were also the extras, technicians, stage hands, artists, and a slew of others, any one of whom could be Kid. And that wasn't even counting his officers and the audience.

Nakamori swore under his breath, ignoring the dirty looks several people shot his way. The goddam thief probably wasn't even wearing a mask. Under these circumstances Kid didn't need one. It wasn't as though anyone actually knew what he looked like.

"Inspector," an urgent hiss caught his attention.

Ginzo turned to see one of his men leading a slender young woman towards him. She was dressed in a thick black coat over what was clearly a ballerina's costume.

"She says she is one of the snowflakes," the officer said quietly reaching his superior's side.

For a moment Nakamori just stared, then he turned his attention back to the stage where two dozen near identical figures twirled like, well like a bunch of snowflakes in winter. Their leotards were cut low, revealing an expanse of pale skin above their breasts, arms bare. Silvery white tutu's furled around slender legs.

The inspector cursed. Now what was he supposed to do? He couldn't order his men to capture them all. In between his second rant of the hour, Nakamori redeployed his men, edging closer to the stage and ending the tirade with "that thrice-cursed sugar plum fairy."

Pretending not to hear his subordinate's muffled laughter, the keibu suddenly came to an abrupt stop a good thirty feet from his target, causing the officer to run into his back. Nakamori staring wide-eyed as the dancers lifted their legs in unison, a move that under any other circumstances would have been, quite frankly, indecent. His brow twitched. That fragging thief, had he no shame?

The answer of course, was no.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Hope you enjoyed and please review_

_Just six more to go and then this fic will close forever_

_Have somehow been sucked into the Transformers fandom_

_So when this is done look for me there_


	95. PowerUp

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one_

_Hey fellow MK/DC fans. Just wanted you all to know that weekly challenges will be posted on the livejournal community manycases1truth by our mod jeva-chan in an effort to revitalize the site. _

_We are also debating moving over to Dreamwidth due to current issues. But that is still a work _

_in progress. So head on over and let your muses run free. Or just comment on what everybody _

_else wrote. This week the challenge, the sixty-first in fact, is superheroes. _

**PowerUp**

More than a dozen men slipped and slid across the ice as they scrambled after the seemingly innocent jeweled broach. All thoughts of catching the phantom thief put away (at least mostly) in favor of not losing the multimillion dollar gemstone. Not just to Kid, who would probably return it anyway, but to the elements. It turned out diamond and silver didn't exactly stand out against ice and snow, go figure.

One officer dived across the ground on his belly, hands closing around the night's target. "I got it, I got it," he shouted moving to stand up. In retrospect that was a bad move; he should have stayed down. The young man's feet flew out from under him, air rushing out of his lungs in an uncomfortable whoosh as he hit the ground.

Wheezing, said unfortunate stared up at the cloudless sky. A few expletives he had no doubt picked up from Inspector Nakamori escaping his lips. It was then that the officer realized his hand was empty. He swore more fervently. "I don't got it."

"There it is."

"Watch where your putting your feet you oaf."

"Well if you hadn't of . . ."

Kaito himself almost had his hands on the broach when another member of the taskforce accidentally kicked it, sending it spinning in the opposite direction. The thief lunged, but missed. The edge of the gem barely brushing his fingers, a groan escaping his lips as he realized where his target was headed.

Calmly, Hakuba stopped the gem's momentum, picking it up and brushing away a few bits of snow. A small smile could be seen on the detective's lips. "It seems," the detective stated. "That I have it." Keeping a firm grip on the broach, he held it up to the light, expecting it for any damage.

And that is when the gem began to glow. "What the bloody he . ." the tantei started to shout, the silvery light reaching out to engulf his entire body. When it faded, an odd sight stood where Hakuba had once been, the teenager staggering as he tried to process what had happened.

White knee high boots and fingerless gloves of the same color came up the detective's elbows. Some sort of red and black bustier was laced tight around his chest over a skirt that was short enough to be indecent, even with the extra length added by the ribbons. Hakuba could feel some sort of choker around his neck, and was that? Hawk-like eyes nearly crossed in an attempt to see before the blond concluded that yes, he was wearing a tiara.

Finding oneself in odd situations, locations, and clothing was nothing new to anyone who chased the Kaitou Kid. Officer Yamada had once found himself in the Inspector General's officer wearing a French Maid's costume. But somehow, this was different.

Cautiously, Saguru raised one hand to his right breast and squeezed gently. Then his, err her, brow twitched. He was a girl. "Kid!" the detective shrieked, voice at a high enough octave to shatter crystal. "I don't know how you did it but change me back! Change me back now!"

Meanwhile the Taskforce just stared, a couple of them blushing. Hakuba must be freezing in that outfit. As for Kid, he just blinked. "But," the thief protested. "I didn't do it."

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Yep, poor Hakuba has become a magical girl_

_You know, I think this is only my second crack fic ever_

_Usually I write stuff that could actually happen in the series_

_Please review and if you get inspired_

_Hop over to manycases1truth and answer the challenge _


	96. Sweet

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one_

_Written for the manycases1truth challenge: _

_Revenge is . . ._

**Sweet**

A pair of bright eyes narrowed as they observed their target. He had always believed himself to be a good person, a dutiful son, a respectful student, but he just couldn't take it anymore. Something had to be done, and he was going to be the one to do it. To act otherwise would have been intolerable, regardless of the consequences that would fall on him after the fact.

It just wasn't fair. More than that was ease, almost effortlessness ,with which the other surpassed him in almost every walk of life. From scholastics to sports, even the easy way the brunette could coax a smile from nearly anyone. Somehow his own skills with the violin just didn't compare.

Lips tightened as his enemy leaned closer to the beautiful young woman at his side, prompting a laugh. How dare he! They all thought the other was so perfect, but he knew the truth. The brunette was far from innocent. He knew exactly where that, that man had been last night. He didn't deserve her.

Taking care to look perfectly normal he moved closer and closer, hand tightening around his pre-prepared weapon. This was it, no turning back now. Taking careful aim, he threw. The silvery objects flying through the air, dead on target. The other's reaction was everything he could have hoped for.

A decibel shattering shriek split the air as Kaito jumped to his feet, several windows cracking. "FISH!" he screamed, frantically brushing the sardines away. "Get them off! Offoffoffoff!" If that wasn't good enough, the magician's expression when he realized one of the small fish had fallen down his collar would have made up for it.

"Don't just stand there!" the brunette ordered as he stripped off his shirt. "Help me!" his undershirt went next, then his pants. Kaito finally managing to locate the sardine, before throwing it as far away from himself as possible.

Hakuba couldn't help it. He laughed, and he wasn't the only one. Usually it was everyone else who was on the receiving end of the magician's schemes. However this did have the consequence of attracting Kaito's attention.

The younger man drew himself up. Indigo eyes focusing on the detective with laser-like tendency. "You realize of course," Kaito said conversationally, disregarding the fact he was practically naked. "That this means war." Then, he turned and walked away, not even bothering to collect his clothing.

As for Hakuba, he just grinned. Ah yes, immature or not, revenge was sweet.

_FoaGFoaGFaoGFoaG_

_Erm, nothing to say this week_

_Other than please review_

_It makes me happy_


	97. Act I

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one_

_That is why it is called fanfiction_

_For Motif, I twisted your idea a bit_

_I hope you still like it_

**Act I**

A pair of dark blue eyes snapped open, irises dilating to make use of the moonlight that shined through the half open window. Something was not right. Another person may have thought they were imagining it, Hitomi Kuroba knew better. She could neither hear nor see anything amiss, by all accounts it was a perfectly peaceful night. But her instincts were screaming at her, and that was all the warning any phantom thief needed, even a retired one.

Hyper aware of her son's presence just down the hall, the young woman silently slipped from beneath the sheets. Her movements were quick, but graceful as she retrieved a katana from a hidden alcove near the bed. The gleaming edge revealing that this was no practice blade.

Only a few people were aware that Hitomi was a master swordsman. She had been somewhat clumsy as a child, and studying kenjutsu had sounded so much more interesting than dance lessons. It was a decision the woman was now grateful for. If those bastards thought she would be an easy target they would have another thing coming.

A faint flicker of movement caught her eye and she whirled, a snarl on her lips, only to pause. "Toichi," she whispered in disbelief as she beheld her dead husband. For a moment the tip of the blade wavered before coming up again, she wouldn't be taken in that easily. "Where did you buy my engagement ring?" she demanded ready and willing to skewer the figure if he gave the wrong answer.

The magician just grinned, seemingly unconcerned by the threat of death. "I didn't," he responded without hesitation. "I forged it and the matching earrings myself out of a gold ingot I stole from Fort Knox." Perhaps it had been a little over the top but he had wanted to prove himself worthy of her. Besides, he had always loved a challenge.

Hitomi's eyes filled. "Toichi," she took a step forward, the blade coming down. "Oh Anata." Throwing herself at her husband, the young woman began to sob. "I thought," she choked. "I thought . . ."

"I know Hitomi." Toichi hugged back just as hard, inhaling the familiar scent of his wife's hair. Vanilla and Jasmine. It had been close, too close.

"The body?" she asked after a moment. The flames had done too much damage for a positive identification.

Toichi closed his eyes in pain. "Jii," his partner had saved his life at the cost of his own. Everything had happened so fast after that. He knew that if Snake discovered he had missed, the assassin would try again. Perhaps this time threatening his family, and that was something the kaitou would not, could not allow. It had been an easy decision after that, to slip into his old friend's shoes, quite literally.

But he didn't tell Hitomi any of that. He didn't have to. His wife was more than intelligent enough to realize what had happened, and what was going to happen next. To the world, Toichi Kuroba was dead.

"What are we going to tell Kaito?" she asked softly.

There was a moment of silence before the magician sighed. "The truth," young as he was, his son knew how to keep a secret. Lifting a hand, Toichi gently tucked a stray bit of hair out of Hitomi's face. "We will train him," he said softly. Really, they had no other choice, not if they wanted Kaito to be safe. What he did after that, well that would be his decision.

"He'll be better than you, better than me." Toichi had already seen flashed of that brilliance in the ease with which Kaito mastered new tricks. The look of concentration on his face as he slid out of ropes, or picked a lock. "And when he is ready then," he tightened his grip on the woman he had nearly lost, half of his greatest treasure. "Then we will finish this."

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_AU obviously. The idea of Toichi living is interesting_

_But I can't see him abandoning his family. Sighs, if only I wasn't writing _

_Phantom of a Thief I would be tempted to turn this into a whole story._


	98. Sacrifice

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one_

_Heiji-centered fic this time_

_Which is a little odd_

_I don't think I've done him before_

**Sacrifice**

_Hot-blooded-kun, _that was what he called him, much more likely to think before he acted, assuming of course that he did think. Even if it meant destroying valuable evidence. Truth be told, Hakuba wasn't the only one to ever level that particular accusation. Heiji had heard it from many others, including his own Father. That and more; stubborn, reckless.

They were wrong. Heiji did think. If he didn't he would have never gained his reputation as the teenage detective of the west. It wasn't that which caused him to charge into situations so blindly, it was his heart.

The Osakan would never admit it aloud, but he was a little jealous of Hakuba's cool demeanor, as well as his self control. The way the other teen could so effortless put a wall between his emotions and the rest of the world while working on a case. Kudo did the same thing. Hell, and Kid was probably better at it than the both of them combined.

Heiji couldn't. He just cared too much; he couldn't stop caring. It wasn't in his nature. People could say what they liked about him. If his actions saved even one life than it would all be worth it, which was what had brought him to this moment.

The teenager's mind went through all the angles in a split second. Hakuba was down, and it was clear he wasn't going anywhere, anytime soon. One of the officers had a shot at the criminal that had done it, but they wouldn't be in time. The decision, such as it was, was really no choice at all.

Hattori threw himself on top of the other teenager, closed his eyes, and braced himself for the pain. He had been lucky before. Who was to say he wouldn't be again? Either way, he didn't, wouldn't, regret it.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Short one, I know. But keep your eyes out._

_I am trying to finish this collection be tomorrow._

_So another one should be up very soon._


	99. Possession

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one_

_For __AmberFox and Lyell_

_I took half of one prompt and half of the other_

_and this is what came out. Hope you enjoy._

**Possession**

_"It's mine."_

"No," the slightly younger, female figure argued. "It's mine."

Under normal circumstances the Kaitou Kid and Saint Tail got along fairly well, most phantom thieves did. However, these circumstances were not normal. They both wanted that gem, and neither of them were willing to give it up. Have I mentioned kaitou in general also tend to be stubborn?

The two figures wrestled, danced, slapped, and bit as though they were on solid ground as oppose to an extremely narrow walkway, plus a collection of wires more than twenty feet off the ground. Anything went, no matter how dirty. The only rule was that they wouldn't hurt each other. Well, nothing more than a light bruise at any rate.

There was also quite the light show going on, the main reason why their respective task-forces hadn't quite worked up the courage to follow them, milling at the ends of the catwalk. None of them wanted to risk taking the plunge. As for Saint Tail and Kid, they just ignored it. They were after all, both master magicians. Something that resulted in being able to see right through each others tricks.

"I've got it," Saint Tail shouted, clasping the large pendant to her chest. She resisted the urge to laugh manically.

_"No," _Kid corrected his voice a little smug. _"I've got it."_

The female thief looked down, cursing briefly as she realized her gem was just an extremely well made fake. Then a slightly guilty expression crossed her face. She really hoped this incident didn't get back to Sister Seira. For being the accomplice of someone like her, her closest friend could do 'the look' with the best of them.

Well then, Saint Tail decided, desperate times called for desperate measures. Reaching out, she goosed the other kaitou causing him to yelp. In all honesty, Kid did more than yelp. He jumped about three feet straight up, his grip on the pendant loosening.

He recovered quickly though, lunging for his prize. She of course did the same thing. In another world, perhaps all would have been well. In this world though, the pair did not grasp the gem, instead they collided with each other.

There was a tinkling sound as the pendant bounced off one railing, the chain sliding against several wires before it hit open air, landing in the water several seconds later with a soft plop. The two kaitou froze, eyes drawn to the collection of ten to fifteen foot shadows that continuously circled the large pool. Then to the sign that described the habits of the tiger shark.

Kid swallowed hard. _"On second thought milady, a true gentleman knows how to be __gracious."_

Saint Tail blinked in response. "Oh no," she snapped back. "There is no way your pinning this on me." For a moment the pair just stared at each other before turning their attention to the officers. "On second thought," the young woman commented. "Possession is nine/tenths of the law."

_"Agreed," _Kid grinned, a mischievous smile spreading across his face. _"Congratulations on your victory Nakamori-keibu." _

And then, with a puff of smoke, the pair was gone, causing the inspector to curse. Great, just great, now what was he supposed to do?

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Just one more to go_

_Keep an eye out this afternoon_

_Today is my B-day and I want to celebrate with a new fic_

_However I must finish this one first._


	100. Finis

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one_

_Much to my displeasure_

**Finis**

A pair of sharp indigo eyes studied the darkening horizon for a moment before returning their attention to the temple steps. At first glance, the young man appeared to be like any other. Though an observant person might have noticed the grace inherent in his slender frame, the way his steps never seemed to make a sound, or any other one of a number of little things that hinted at his true nature.

You see, this particular young man was a kaitou, a phantom thief. Today though, he had not come to steal anything, almost the opposite in fact. Unswervingly, the young man made his way through the temple grounds, stopping at the Kuroba Family Shrine.

Once there, Kaito lit fresh sticks of incense before bowing. "Father," he greeted respectfully. "It has been awhile." Almost five years in fact, the day after he had learned the truth behind his Father's death. "I probably should have brought flowers," the brunette went on. "But I thought you would like this better instead."

A small shard appeared in the magician's hand an instant before he carefully squeezed it beneath Toichi's headstone, covering it well. After all, it wouldn't do for some curious visitor to spot it later on. "It's a piece of the Pandora," he said softly. "I've arranged to have the rest scattered all over the world."

Kaito closed his eyes briefly, the grief as fresh now as it had been when he was eight years old. "I did it Father. I've made sure this accursed gemstone will never harm anyone else again. That _they _will never harm anyone else." After a moment his lips quirked. "Okay," he admitted. "So tantei-kun helped with that last bit."

To be honest, the phantom thief had to admit that deep within his heart of hearts, he was a little jealous of Kudo. Yes, the detective had suffered, and he was glad things were going well for his rival. In the end though, Shinichi hadn't lost anything he couldn't get back. Not like him.

"It is hard to believe it is really over," he continued softly after a moment, eyes distant. Even more surprising was the fact he had survived the experience relatively unscathed. Kaito had been prepared to sacrifice everything in the quest to see justice done to his Father's murderers, just so long as t didn't cost him his own soul. That it hadn't come to that was something of a shock.

More than that, now that it was over, just what was he supposed to do? Kaito laughed softly. "You know, it's funny, I never planned for this," it was just about the only thing he hadn't planned for. "I thought I wouldn't have a future." Whether dead, in jail, or on the run, it would have amounted to the same thing.

_'But you do,' _the young man could almost hear the other's voice. _'So get out there and live your life. Love. Laugh. Be happy. And even on those not so perfect days, don't ever forget your poker face my son.'_

To be honest, Kaito wasn't sure if the words were just his imagination, or if he had really had contact with his Father's spirit, and he supposed it didn't matter. Either way, that sounded like excellent advice.

_FoaGFoaGFoaG_

_Yes, I am sorry but it really is over_

_Don't worry though. I am not leaving this fandom entirely._

_And, to any Transformer fans out there my next project is a collection of Starscream centered one-shots. It is entitled 26 Little Screams. So head over to my profile and check it out. The more the merrier. I hope you enjoyed these drabbles as much as I did and remember, I am always up for sharing an idea. Just ask first. XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO peppymint_


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